Asad Umar demands arrest of CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary General Asad Umar has demanded the arrest of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

While talking to journalists in Lahore today, Asad Umar said that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is not fulfilling its constitutional responsibility to organise elections despite the clear instructions of the Lahore High Court (LHC).

Asad Umar demanded the arrest of CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja after the ECP fails to give the election schedule.

READ: LHC ORDERS ECP TO HOLD PUNJAB BY-POLLS IN THREE MONTHS

“The date of election should be announced in accordance with the LHC’s verdict and the Constitution. We are warning them for refraining from the constitutional violation by immediately unveiling the elections in Punjab.”

Umar said that constitutional violation is the biggest crime and the delay in elections is tantamount to a violation of the Constitution.

He said that the high court had clearly ordered the ECP to announce the polls date after consulting the Punjab governor, however, the incumbent government is using all tactics to avoid elections.

READ: LHC MOVED TO SEEK ORDER FOR PRESIDENT TO ANNOUNCE ELECTION DATE

The PTI secretary general said that Pakistan is going through a constitutional crisis. He alleged that the incumbent government and its supporters are unwilling to hold polls due to fear of Imran Khan’s landslide victory.

Earlier in the day, Punjab Governor Baligh-ur-Rehman held a consultative meeting regarding the Punjab elections, however, he did not finalise a date today.

The ECP stated in its declaration that Governor Baligh-ur-Rehman did not give any date for the Punjab elections.

The governor said that he was not bound to give the date of elections in accordance with the Constitution as he did not dissolve the Punjab Assembly. The governor sought the interpretation of the high court’s order regarding the elections.