Pervaiz Elahi slams PDM govt for rejecting SC’s larger bench

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) President Pervaiz Elahi has slammed the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government for rejecting the Supreme Court’s (SC) eight-member larger bench hearing petitions against the Supreme Court Practice & Procedure Bill, ARY News reported on Thursday.

Pervaiz Elahi said in a statement that honourable judges were included in the SC’s eight-member bench but PM Shehbaz Sharif-led cabinet rejected the bench before the hearing. He said that it was an undemocratic and unconstitutional move to reject a bench before the hearing.

He criticised that Shehbaz’s cabinet was exhibiting stubbornness by rejecting the SC orders. He said that lawyers, bar councils and the nation are standing alongside the Supreme Court.

READ: SUPREME COURT BARS IMPLEMENTATION OF BILL CURTAILING CJP’S POWERS

Pervaiz Elahi reiterated that elections are the only solution to end political and economic crises in the country.

Earlier, former Punjab Chief Minister (CM) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) President Pervaiz Elahi demanded the resignation of Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif ‘for violating the Constitution’.

The statement came a day after the coalition government demanded Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) to step down from his post following the verdict, nullifying Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) order to postpone Punjab elections.

In the statement, Pervaiz Elahi asked why the chief justice should resign as he had respected the Constitution. “Instead, PM Shehbaz should resign from the post for violating the constitution,” he added.

The former Punjab CM said that Nawaz Sharif wants to repeat the history of 90 once again. He also asked Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) to change ‘its unconstitutional behavior or face consequences’.

Responding to the current situation, Elahi said that institutions were not so weak that they cannot provide security in a provincial election. “The Supreme Court decided in favour of elections after seeing the reports of the institutions,” it added.