Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, a senior leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), has called on the country’s Supreme Court to summon Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other federal ministers over the delay in provincial elections.
Ahsan demanded that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Interior Minister Rana Sana Ullah, Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar, and Sharif all provide an explanation for their statements regarding the postponement of the provincial assemblies in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
Ahsan insisted that if elections were not held on May 14 as ordered by the court, Sharif would be held accountable along with the interior and law ministers.
He emphasised that if the defendants admit to disobeying the court’s orders, the nation’s highest court should summon them and file contempt charges. Ahsan ruled that those who disobeyed should each be barred from office for five years.
Ahsan voiced his displeasure with the coalition government’s choices during a press conference at the Lahore High Court, stating that “the country will face huge problems in the future if nothing changes and all political parties remain committed to the achievement of their vested interests rather than obeying the Constitution.”
He added that it was amazing how the PDM was able to make Imran Khan an unbeatable candidate in elections and accused the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) of doing so through its poor choices.
It should be noted that the government took another action on Monday to evade the Supreme Court’s directive to the central bank to allocate Rs21 billion for the elections in Punjab and K-P.
The State Bank of Pakistan provided the necessary funding for the elections to be held in two provinces in order to shield the officers of the central bank and the Ministry of Finance from any potential legal action.
A summary and a money bill for the expenses were presented to the federal cabinet by the ministry of finance.
The National Assembly made the final decision after the cabinet referred it to it for consideration.
The government moved to give the federal government Rs 21 billion to cover uncharged expenses for the ECP during the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, but the National Assembly rejected the motion.
A day before the ECP, the SBP, and the Ministry of Finance were required to submit a report to the Supreme Court in order to comply with its April 14 order to provide funds for the holding of elections in Punjab and K-P, the lower house of parliament made the decision.
The PPP leader’s request that the Supreme Court take action against the administration and its ministers draws attention to Pakistan’s ongoing political unrest.
The country’s political future is in jeopardy as pivotal provincial elections approach, and it is unclear whether the courts will step in to guarantee a fair and transparent electoral process.
