Ishaq Dar says cannot violate Constitution by issuing election funds

ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on Wednesday said that the government cannot violate the Constitution by issuing funds to Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for holding general elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on Supreme Court’s (SC) orders, ARY News reported.

Speaking on the National Assembly (NA) floor, the finance minister lambasted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan for dissolving Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) assemblies and said the move was aimed at spreading “anarchy” in the country.

Ishaq Dar alleged that the trouble started after Supreme Court (SC) redefined Article 63-A of the Constitution which resulted in the handover of Punjab government to PTI.

“If Article 63-A of the Constitution had not been redefined, the assemblies would not have been dissolved,” he said, criticising the apex court to “interfere in politicians’ domain”.

He pointed out that the government “in line with the law’ brought the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) request for the release of funds before the cabinet and the parliament — both of whom rejected the proposal.

The minister said that the parliament accepts the 4-3 decision of the Supreme Court (SC) and noted that even the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) cannot release the funds. He asked what would happen if the elections are held after three to four months.

Ishaq Dar further said that the government was being asked to do an ‘illegal’ thing and he would never advise the cabinet to do so. He noted the law dictates that elections should be held simultaneously. “We cannot go against the Constitution just on court orders,” he added.

He also lambasted the PTI-led previous government to push the country to ‘brink of collapse’, saying that the country was standing at a “critical juncture”.

“The country witnessed Panama and Dawn leaks drama during the past five years,” he said, adding that the country wouldn’t have been in crisis if he had been listened.

The Supreme Court – in its April 4 order – declared Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to postpone elections to the Punjab Assembly till October 8 “unconstitutional” and fixed May 14 as new date.

The National Assembly later passed a resolution rejecting the three-member Supreme Court bench’s verdict on the Punjab polls, stating that it would not provide funds to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for polls.