Imran Khan castigates govt, ECP over ‘mockery of Constitution’

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has castigated the incumbent government and ‘compromised’ Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) over ‘complete mockery of Constitution’ following the postponement of elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), ARY News reported on Thursday.

Taking to Twitter, the former premier said that the strength of the Supreme Court (SC) bench does not matter, and all they want to know was if the elections will be held within 90 days as per the Constitution or not.

“Whether it’s a 5 [member] SC bench or Full Bench, it makes no difference to us [because] all we want to know is if elections will be held within the 90 days’ constitutional provision,” Imran Khan asked.

absolutely clear that the 90-day Constitutional provision on holding of elections was inviolable. Now Imported Govt of crooks, their handlers & a compromised ECP are making a complete mockery of Constitution. By cherry picking which Articles of Constitution they will abide by,

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) March 30, 2023

The PTI chief said he had consulted his top legal experts before dissolving provincial assemblies in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).

“..All of whom were absolutely clear that the 90-day Constitutional provision on holding of elections was inviolable. Now imported government of crooks, their handlers [and] a compromised ECP are making a complete mockery of Constitution,” he added.

Imran Khan further said the PDM government was “threatening the very foundation of Pakistan by cherry-picking which articles of Constitution they will abide by”.

“So petrified are they of elections [and] so desperate to whitewash their convicted [leaders] that they are prepared to destroy the Constitution and any semblance of Rule of Law,” the PTI chief added.

Supreme Court hearing

Earlier in the day, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial constituted a new four-member bench to hear Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) plea after Justice Aminuddin Khan recused himself from the hearing.

A new bench will hear the case tomorrow at 11:30pm.

Justice Aminuddin in his remarks said he cannot hear the case after yesterday’s decision of a three-member bench headed by Justice Qazi Faez Isa. After remarks of the honorable justice, the other four members of the bench left the court room and the bench was dissolved.

On Wednesday, a three-member bench of the Supreme Court ordered to adjourn the hearing of cases of constitutional importance and suo motu notices.

A three-member bench of the court issued the order in a case of giving grace marks to Hafiz-e-Quran. The nine-page decision was written by Justice Qazi Faiz Isa, while Justice Shahid Waheed dissented from the decision.

It may be noted that a five-member bench was hearing PTI’s plea against the postponement of elections in Punjab by the Election Commission of Pakistan.

Postponement of elections

Earlier in March, Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced to delay of the Punjab by-elections which were scheduled to be held on April 30.

The ECP withdrew the Punjab Election Program notification issued on March 8 and decided to postpone the Punjab election and announced October 08 as the new date for elections in Punjab.

The ECP spokesman said that the president Dr Arif Alvi also been informed about the postponement of elections in Punjab, adding that the new election schedule will release soon.

Read More: ECP announces date for KP elections

It is pertinent to mention here that President Arif Alvi on Friday announced April 30 as the date for elections in Punjab.

The announcement from President Alvi comes minutes after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) proposed dates for the election in the province in light of the Supreme Court (SC) verdict.

Later, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) challenged the election commission’s decision to change the date of election in Punjab and KP.