LAHORE , March 23, 2023: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders on Thursday said the party would challenge the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to postpone the election in Punjab in the Supreme Court (SC).
The decision comes as the ECP had, earlier, notified the postponement of Punjab Assembly election until October 8 that was scheduled to be held on April 30 after the SC had ordered the electoral watchdog to hold elections in Punjab and KP within ninety days of the dissolution of provincial assemblies. Punjab and KP assemblies were dissolved on Jan 14 and Jan 18 respectively.
Talking to the media, PTI leader Asad Umar mockingly said it was a mere coincidence that the ECP notified the postponement hours after Interior Minster Rana Sanaullah had expressed his wish to hold elections at once in the country at a joint parliamentary session on Wednesday. “The decision is in contravention to the law and we will challenge it”, he added.
He went on to say that the PTI’s counsel Ali Zafar had been drafting the petition adding that the party had already moved a contempt petition against KP governor Haji Ghulam Ali. “The PTI will stage a massive rally at Minar-e-Pakistan where it will also express solidarity with the SC for upholding the constitution”, he added.
He continued saying that the party had ramped up preparation for the rally adding that the PTI senators would present their stance fully at a joint session of the parliament scheduled to be held on Monday. “The party will demand the elections in Punjab be held on April 30 in the petition too”, he added.
Fawad Chaudhry said the constitution was violated on Pakistan Day adding that 96 bar associations had denounced the ECP’s decision. “The SC was attacked at the joint parliamentary session on Wednesday and the PML-N bore a history of attacking the judiciary”, he added.
He observed that former Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz was granted bail on Sunday without appearing before the court adding that the law minister Azam Nazir Tarar was a lawyer of the devil. “Mr Tarar was a man [of good character] earlier”, he added.
He said the PTI’s rally would start at Saturday night after Taraweeh prayers and continue until sehri on Sunday. “We welcome the government’s decision to form a JIT and we expect that JIT will function independently”, he added.
He went on to say that election in Punjab was scheduled to be held on April 30 adding that the people and the SC had to safeguard the constitution. “The SC must safeguard the constitution and nothing else and I know that judges are being blackmailed and pressurised”, he added.
He said the PTI was ready to sit with the government for negotiations adding that the government was up for anything but elections. “Our workers are securing PTI chief Imran Khan’s residence at Zaman Park and we will lodge a case against Zaman Park’s “siege” and the murder of Ali Bilal alias Zill-e-Shah.