Before the Supreme Court’s deadline for the payment of Rs21 billion to the Election Commission of Pakistan, Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Ishaq Dar presented a bill in both houses of parliament, the National Assembly and Senate, titled “Charged Sums for General Elections of Provincial Assemblies of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bill 2023.” (ECP).
Amounts needed for general elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are the subject of the bill. Before April 10, the government was required by the Supreme Court to release and give the necessary funds to ECP.
The bill was introduced in the National Assembly by the finance minister, who claimed it was now up to the legislature to decide whether or not the funds should be made available.
The finance minister stated during the National Assembly session that he did not believe the apex court’s order for immediate elections served the national interest because of the security and economic conditions.
The government has introduced this bill in light of the Supreme Court’s orders to release Rs21 billion to the ECP, he added, and “Elections in all assemblies should be held on the same date.”
The finance czar recalled that the lower house had also adopted a resolution declaring that the Supreme Court’s decision to issue the suo motu notice regarding the holding of elections in Punjab was reached by a vote of 4-3 and that the decision by a vote of 3-0 was a minority judgement that should not be carried out.
In light of this NA resolution, the federal cabinet has asked for the parliament’s permission to make a final decision regarding the distribution of funds for general elections for the provincial assemblies of Punjab and KP. The federal cabinet recently discussed the apex court’s rulings.
The finance minister also made the argument that holding elections is a constitutional obligation, but that in order to save money and guarantee free, fair, and transparent elections, polling for the national and all provincial assemblies must be held simultaneously under caretaker arrangements.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the opposition party, has voiced strong objections to the development and criticised the coalition government for its “ill practises.”
The house requested in the resolution that the government not carry out the three-member bench’s decision ordering the ECP to hold the Punjab Assembly elections on May 14 because it was illegal and unconstitutional.
Instead, the National Assembly maintained in the resolution that the majority judgement rendered by four judges would be valid.
The National Assembly’s resolution from April 6 had also been taken into consideration when the cabinet made the decision to refer the funds disbursement matter to the parliament.
For the benefit of the parliament, the federal cabinet instructed the finance minister to draught a summary for the release of election funds.
Azam Nazeer Tarar, the law minister, gave the cabinet a briefing on all the legal and constitutional aspects of the Supreme Court orders and the funding release to the ECP.
Since the IMF bailout programme has been on hold since November, Pakistan is in danger of defaulting on its debt. Imran Khan, a former prime minister, and the government are engaged in a bloody political conflict.
With its foreign exchange reserves hovering around $4.2 billion, which barely cover one month’s worth of imports, the cash-strapped country is in desperate need of money.
In order to raise the money needed for the general elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the government has introduced a bill in both houses of the parliament.
The release of the funds will be decided by the parliament. The coalition government has been criticised by the opposition party for their “ill practises” in response to the development.
As a result, the government has referred the issue of fund disbursement to parliament as well as keeping in mind the National Assembly’s resolution of April 6. Currently, Pakistan faces the risk of defaulting on its debt, and a political battle is raging between
