PTI to move SC against ECP's polls delay

LAHORE:

The PTI has decided to move the Supreme Court against the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) decision to postpone the elections in Punjab till October 8.

A day earlier, the ECP announced the postponement of the upcoming elections in the most populated province of the country – originally scheduled to take place on April 30 --on the “pretext” of the security situation.

Addressing a news conference in Lahore on Thursday, PTI Secretary General Asad Umar said during a party meeting, chaired by its chairman Imran Khan, it had been decided to challenge the ECP’s decision and Barrister Ali Zafar would file a petition in the apex court on Friday.

In the petition, it would be demanded to reschedule the polls on the previous date of April 30.

“The ECP has violated the Constitution by postponing the elections. Its decision was in conflict with the Supreme Court’s orders as well,” Umar maintained.

Also read: Rashid asks apex court to take suo moto notice of Punjab polls delay

“As per the orders of Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar High Courts, the ECP could not give dates for polls,” he added.

He questioned under which constitutional provision the commission had changed the date.

Umar further alleged that the ECP had fulfilled the ruling coalition’s desire to delay the elections.

He also disclosed that the PTI would also file a contempt petition against Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Haji Ghulam Ali for violating Article 6.

“He [Haji Ghulam Ali] had refused to follow the Constitution and the superior court’s order to announce a date for elections in K-P,” he added.

Talking about the PTI's public gathering at Minar-e-Pakistan, Umar said the Lahore High Court had given permission to hold the event on the night of March 25.

He continued that the “historic public gathering” would continue till ‘sehri’.

Umar further said during the meeting, Imran had instructed PTI senators to participate in the joint sitting of parliament to point out the party’s stand on the current political turmoil as well as raise their voice against the violation of the Constitution.

Umar added that the PTI chief had also asked interested candidates for the upcoming elections to continue with their election campaigns.

“He [Imran] is confident that the top court would strike down the ECP’s decision and the elections would be held on their previous date,” he continued.

Also read: ECP about-face

The PTI leader maintained that the party would not allow anyone to violate the Constitution under any circumstances.

Speaking on the occasion, PTI Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry said the party was moving the SC against the ECP for breaching the Constitution.

“There was no other option but to hold elections on April 30,” he insisted, adding that the former ruling party’s petition would seek the court’s order for holding elections in the province as per the previous schedule.

He also told the media that all bar associations had rejected the ECP’s decision, adding that the PTI would support a lawyers’ movement if it took place.

“For the first time in the county’s history, a civilian government has tried to subvert the Constitution,” he claimed, adding that the nation demanded that Article 6 should be applied to five members of the ECP.

Turning his guns towards the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif-led coalition government, Fawad maintained that the joint sitting of parliament convened on Wednesday was aimed at attacking the SC.

He further claimed that judges were being blackmailed and pressured.

He said the PTI was expecting an assault on the party during the joint session, but later it became clear that it was not on the agenda.

“The main target of the parliament session was the Supreme Court,” he claimed.

Expressing his solidarity with the apex court and its judges, the senior PTI leader maintained that millions of people stood with the chief justice of Pakistan and other SC judges.

“It is the duty of the SC judges to save the Constitution,” he added.

He also said the PTI was ready for talks with its opponents on conducting the elections.

Later while taking to Twitter, Fawad wrote that PTI’s Azhar Mashwani had been “abducted” following the Punjab police chief’s “threatening” conversation.

The PTI leader demanded that Mashwani should immediately be produced before a court and the charges against him explained in detail.

“If the IGP sahib believes that after the 'murder' and 'torture' of Zillay Shah [PTI activist also known as Ali Bilal] there won’t be any criticism against him, then he lives in a fool’s paradise,” he added.