FM Bilawal reaches Lahore ahead of Punjab elections

LAHORE: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman and Foreign Minister (FM) Bilawal Bhutto has reached Lahore following the Supreme Court (SC) verdict of elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to be held within 90 days, ARY News reported on Wednesday, citing sources.

Sources told ARY News that the PPP Chairman’s three-day visit meant to be heavily invested in consolidating party’s footing in Punjab.

Sources claimed that FM Bilawal Bhutto would consult with party leaders on the apex court’s verdict. The PPP leadership would also consult on the preparations over the upcoming elections in the province, they added.

Meanwhile, the party leadership would also finalise candidates for Punjab Assembly elections. Moreover, the foreign minister is likely to meet leadership of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

SC verdict

The Supreme Court, in a 3-2 verdict, ruled on Wednesday that elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab should be held within 90 days.

CJP Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar supported the verdict, while Justice Jamal Mandokhail and Justice Mansoor Ali Shah opposed the admissibility of the suo moto notice and dissented from the majority verdict.

Justice Shah and Justice Mandokhail in their dissenting notes agreed with the position of Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Athar Minallah. “The matter was already being heard in the high courts, Supreme Court cannot take suo moto notice on the undertrial cases in the high courts.”

The short verdict stated that the Election Commission of Pakistan failed in discharging its role in the election. The announcement of the election date in KP is the responsibility of the provincial governor, while the president has the authority as per law and constitution to fix the election date in Punjab.

The verdict further stated a consultation to fix the date of elections in Punjab, if they are not possible on April 9, the date announced by the president.