Imran's behaviour can push elections even beyond Oct 8: Rana Sanaullah
Pakistan
SC should summon the whole parliament and disqualify it
LAHORE (Web Desk) – Federal Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said on Monday if PTI chief Imran Khan continued behaving as he was, it was possible that elections might not be held even on Oct 8.
Earlier, the minister had claimed the National Assembly would cease to exist on Aug 12 or 16 after which a caretaker set-up would hold elections on Oct 8. He had said this despite the SC ordered to hold elections in Punjab on May 14 followed by the ECP's decision to hold elections.
Speaking to a private TV, he said if Mr Khan had held talks with us, issues would have resolved. “If we give in to the PTI chief’s behaviour, it will give a reason to any party to demand elections after dissolving assembles in the future,” he added.
The minister said it was the Supreme Court’s (SC) responsibility to protect the constitution adding that NA Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf should talk to Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial. “We do not expect CJP Bandial to be stubborn”, he added.
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The court should summon the whole parliament and disqualify it, he mockingly said. “If the parliament rejects the bill to grant funds to the ECP for Punjab elections, funds will not be released,” he added.
Mr Sana went on to say that the apex court was not entitled to intervene with the parliament adding that the SC even did not have the jurisdiction to strike down. “If the court does so, it will be tantamount to abrogating the constitution,” he added.
President Dr Arif Alvi was not authorised to send the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill 2023 to the top court, he said.
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He said if the president did not assent to the bill within 10 days, the bill would automatically stand passed. “SC Justice Mansoor Ali Shah proved that “one man show” ruined the institution of the judiciary,” he added. The government did not limit the CJP’s powers, he said, and SC judges’ dissenting notes enlightened the parliament.
It was a great decision on SC Justice Qazi Faez Isa’s part to come to the parliament, he said. “All judges must have come to the parliament,” he added.
The minister said the government had also invited CJP Bandial to come to the parliament and he did not decline the offer. “Had he declined, we would have visited him,” he added. SC and other pillars of the state, he said, should have celebrated the golden jubilee of the constitution.
