Failure to hold elections in timely manner: PTI urges president to seek explanation from CEC

ISLAMABAD; Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has asked the President Arif Alvi to seek report from Chief Election Commission of Pakistan and its ‘extensions caretaker governments’ of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa over failure to perform their basis obligation to hold election within 90 days.

This was stated by PTI senior leader Fawad Chaudhary along with Hammad Azhar while addressing a press conference on Saturday. They said that they have written a letter to the President and sought his intervention on two points with the first one that ECP and their extensions caretaker governments in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab have failed in their basic work to hold election in 90 days. Therefore he should seek a report from the Chief Election Commissioner as to why they have failed.

And the second point, Fawad said is that Punjab caretaker governments was appointed for 90 days and on 22nd April its term of caretaker government in Punjab would expire whereas Constitution is silent as to who would be in power in the province.

He said that KP caretaker government would also expire in a week time; therefore, a reference should be sent to the Apex Court by the President because recent verdict of the SC is that only it can extend the election. Chaudhary added that there is no provision in the Constitution of automatic extension of the election. He said that SC must send these caretakers home and appoint administrators who should be serving or retired judge to handle the affairs of two provinces and regulate the process towards elections.

PTI leader added that if president sends this reference it would be alright; otherwise, PTI would move the SC for appointment administrators.

He said that Pakistan cannot move ahead if the establishment would remove or install governments in Pakistan. He said that JUI-F Chief’s allegation with respect to assurance by the then Chief of Army Staff and DG ISI after its sit-in that they would pack Imran Khan government are of serious nature; therefore, a formal commission should be formed to establish who was behind 2019 sit-ins.

He said that lawyers and legal brains on Saturday held a meeting to discuss in details the constitution crisis in the country and came to the two point conclusion that (i) the elections are not only necessary but a Constitution requirement and; (ii) implementation of the Supreme Court’s decisions is must. He said that there is no legal position of the resolutions passed by the National Assembly and Apex court verdict is binding.

Former information minister added that lawyers, public and genuine leadership of the country is supporting the Supreme Court verdicts.

Chaudhary said that today (Monday) funds from the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) are to be transferred, adding that they are hopeful that as promised by the SBP senior officials in the SC with regard to transfer of fund it would be done so that as per schedule election would be held in Punjab.

Fawad Chaudhary said that if SC order is not implemented then judicial system would become dysfunctional and not the apex court alone.

He said that the judiciary is being made irrelevant systematically by not implementing its decision and in this regard he referred IHC decision to hold local body election in Islamabad, which was not implemented and Hasam Niazi and Ali Amin Gandapur were taken even though were granted bails by the IHC.

He regretted that an ‘irrelevant person’ filed a reference against eight judges including Chief Justice of Pakistan and media was directed to run this reference as headline.

He said that in a systematic way PTI leader and workers are being picked up and members of the national Assembly are being served anti-corruption notices. He said that 3100 workers have been picked up. He said that SC and Chief Justice of Pakistan has to ensure fundamental rights of the people and entire nation is looking towards them

Hammad Azhar, speaking on the occasion, said that government does not have funds for election but only in the month of March 2023, it released Rs 70 billion to the Parliamentarians of the PDM. He said that the ECP funds are charged expenditures and voting is not held in the parliamentarians on this expenditure.

He said that the government policies during the last one year has done great harm to the economy and fiscal deficit would is expected over Rs 6 trillion, growth in negative and unemployment, already reached at four million, would go further high the way industries are being shut down and people are being laid off. He said that Rs 10 per litre price was increased on Saturday when price per barrel of oil in the international market is $70 compared to $117 during PTI time. At that time petroleum products were being sold at Rs 150 per litre and now at Rs 282 primarily because rupee has lost by Rs 100 against dollar during since the present government came to power.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023