PDM chief Molana Fazl rules out negotiations with PTI on elections
Pakistan
SC bench should decide the case independently, says Fazl
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Molana Fazlur Rehman on Saturday said the ruling coalition would neither negotiate nor hold any dialogue with the PTI chairman Imran Khan on elections.
Talking to the media after a PDM huddle, which boycotted the three-member Supreme Court (SC) bench hearing Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) elections case earlier today, he said the SC was hearing an important case regarding elections adding that two judges distanced themselves and another two dissented with a nine-member bench hearing the case. “The nation went into confusion upon judges’ recusal and later two more judges rescued themselves ultimately leaving the case to a three-member bench”, he added.
He said Mr Khan was brought to power through rigging in the 2018 general elections and asked if the suo motu notice was taken on the rigging.
He went on to say that morally, the remaining justices should also distance themselves from the bench adding that they should decide the case independently. “Elections should be held at one time to keep the country united”, he added. Census was going on, he said, and once it was completed, delimitation would start.
The JUI chief said how politicians, the parliament, and the public should perceive the ongoing situation adding that it was the ECP’s constitutional prerogative to announce a date for elections. “The suo motu case has been rejected by 4-3 and we do not put our weight behind a three-member bench”, he added. Mr Khan wanted division, he said, between institutions.
