Resolution adopted against ECP decision

Assembly calls on judiciary to void election watchdog’s verdict

PESHAWAR:

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Assembly on Saturday unanimously passed a resolution against the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) verdict, urging judiciary to declare it void.

Opposition members strongly protested against it during the session and chanted slogans.

The resolution demanded of the higher judiciary to take notice of the unrest among the general public created as a result of the ECP decision and cancel the decision to calm them down.

The emergency session of the provincial Assembly had been called on week end and Provincial Minister Kamran Khan tabled the resolution against Imran Khan’s disqualification.

The resolution said that the ECP’s decision against PTI chief was biased, one sided, illegal and against the constitution of the country.

Terming Imran Khan the most popular, neat and clean politician in the country, the resolution said that this house unanimously reject the decision against him.

The resolution called on the judiciary to take notice of the un-constitutional decision of ECP and declare it null and void.

Opposition law makers opposed the resolution and chanted slogans against the provincial government but the treasury managed to pass it with ease.

On this occasion, provincial ministers Kamran Bangash, Taimur Jaghra and Amjad Ali addressed the session, saying that government conspired to disqualify Imran Khan through ECP.

They called ECP a Kangro commission, adding that the Tosha Khana record should be checked as the current federal government has stolen items from Tosha Khana along with the national wealth and courts should take notice of these irregularities.

They said that corruption cases of Rs1,100 billion have been closed down against the ruling party leaders by amending the NAB laws which left the anti-corruption body completely useless.

The joint opposition started a protest during the speeches of provincial ministers and they gathered around the speaker’s desk.

Speakers Mehmood Jan smiled back all the time during the opposition protest on which opposition MPAs started chanting slogans.

They took off their watches and shouted ‘watch thief’ slogans.

During the opposition protest, treasury members suddenly started leaving the house. When majority of the MPAs left, then the former minister Akbar Auyb pointed to the lack of quorum on which the Assembly session was adjourned till 31st.

After the Assembly session, opposition members as well as provincial ministers talked to journalists.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, October 23^rd, 2022.