Govt expected to table resolution in NA against SC verdict in polls case today
Pakistan
A key session of the National Assembly is scheduled to be held today Thursday
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The coalition government is expected to table a resolution in the National Assembly (NA) today against the Supreme Court's verdict in case pertaining to elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Dunya News reported.
According to sources, a key session of the National Assembly is scheduled to be held today (Thursday) in this regard.
Sources said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif have directed all members of the National Assembly to make sure their participation in today’s session.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Supreme Court on Tuesday (April 4) ruled that the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) decision to postpone polls to the Punjab Assembly till Oct 8 was "unconstitutional" and fixed May 14 as the date for polls in the province.
"The impugned order dated 22.03.2023 made by the Election Commission of Pakistan is declared to be unconstitutional, without lawful authority or jurisdiction, void ab-initio, of no legal effect and is hereby quashed," the ruling said. "Neither the Constitution nor the law empowers the Commission to extend the date of elections beyond the 90 days period as provided in Article 224(2) of the Constitution."
The ECP had on March 22 announced that the elections in Punjab would be held on October 8. The date was earlier set on April 30, in consultation with the president.
PDM vows to stand for restoration of parliament's dignity
Leaders of the parliamentary parties of coalition partners on Wednesday vowed to stand for restoring the dignity of the parliament at a meeting.
It comes a day after a three-member bench of the Supreme Court, comprising CJP Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, and Justice Muneeb Akhtar, had ordered the ECP to hold elections in Punjab on May 14.
Chairing the meeting attended by PDM bigwigs and also PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif via video link, he said he had never seen such a mimicry of the constitution. "The court had ignored the verdict of the majority," he added. The government had tabled a resolution in the parliament [against the decision], he said, and would move another on Thursday.
The PM went on to say that the government would release funds for the elections on Thursday as per the court’s orders. “The ECP has to present a report to the Supreme Court on April 11 and the Punjab caretaker government has to make security arrangements till April 17,” he added.
Mr Sharif reckoned the fate of the people was about to be written adding that the government would take a decision after a thorough consultation.
Earlier, the ECP had decided to hold elections in Punjab as per the SC's order and issued a schedule for the elections too.
