PM Shehbaz expresses reservations over formation of SC's larger bench
Pakistan
PM to consult allies on formation of the bench on SC’s suo motu notice
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday expressed his reservations over the formation of the Supreme Court larger bench to take up the suo motu notice on delay in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa elections.
PM Shehbaz presided over a meeting of the party leaders to review the suo motu notice. He also held consultations with the party's legal advisers over the matter of penning letter to the president.
Sources privy to the development said during the meeting, PM Shehbaz consulted the party's legal advisers. He declared the president's announcement of elections' date unconstitutional.
At the meeting, PM Shehbaz also decided to consult the allies on the formation of the bench. There would also be consultations on issues related to the All Parties Conference (APC) to maintain law and order.
Read also: LHC orders ECP to hold elections in province within 90 days
Speaking about the electoral watchdog, the premier said, "The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is an independent body."
Earlier on Thursday, the SC remarked that the violation of the Constitution would not be tolerated, saying elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakthunkhwa should be held on time. A nine-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, heard the suo motu case that aimed at determining who had the authority to announce the date for polls. The bench comprises Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Syed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar.
The apex court issued notices to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), President Arif Alvi, federal, Punjab and KP governments, members of the Pakistan Democratic Movement, the Supreme Court Bar Association president, the Pakistan Bar Council vice president and others in the case.
At the outset, CJP Bandial said the bench would hear three related cases and determine who was supposed to give the elections' dates. He said it was an important case and should be dealt with in line with the Constitution. The apex court, he said, would not tolerate violation of the constitution. He said the schedule of next week had been put off to give due weightage to this case. He said the judges would listen to the viewpoint of all concerned and salient features would be discussed on Friday.
