Daniyal Aziz, the former chief of the Musharraf-era National Reconstruction Bureau (NRB), has termed "the provincial government's disregard of the Sindh High Court' as ruling regarding the holding of local bodies election in 90 days" a clear case of contempt of court.
At present, Daniyal Aziz is heading a non-governmental organisation named Jeevay Pakistan Jeevay Maqami-Hakoomat (JPJM).
The Sindh High Court had, in May this year, ordered the Sindh government to hold local government elections in 90 days in a constitutional petition. In a press release, he said the much trumpeted and newly crowned Election Commission has failed its first test of democracy and will also be in contempt as it was to make provisions for holding the election under the same order. Deliberately and intentionally delaying the local government election is a straight forward violation of Article 140A of the Constitution.
Addressing a press conference on Sunday, he said this case will be a test for rule of law and democracy in Pakistan as Islamabad and Sindh were both parts of Pakistan how can the courts remove a Prime Minister due to Contempt and use some excuse to spare a Chief Minister or the Election commission. The controversy surrounding the Contempt of Court gained notoriety due to the Prime Minister remaining adamant that the immunity enjoyed by the President compelled him not to abide by the courts decision. In the case of Contempt by the Sindh Government and the Election commission there is no such excuse. However, it will not be surprising to see if the Government and the Election Commission now claim immunity against democracy making a mockery of the Constitution and democracy, he said. The sixty day period for the Sindh Government to file an appeal to the judgement expired on July 18th and it is only this week that the Sindh government is desperately trying to seek a stay order to protect them from violating the constitution and Contempt of Court.-PR
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