Pervaiz Elahi urges ECP to immediately unveil Punjab polls’ schedule

LAHORE: Former Punjab chief minister Pervaiz Elahi on Sunday urged the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to immediately unveil by-polls schedule following the court order, ARY News reported.

While talking to journalists in Lahore today, Pervaiz Elahi said that the Lahore High Court (LHC) gave its verdict regarding the Punjab by-polls in accordance with the law and Constitution.

He slammed the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) for skyrocketing inflation in the country. He said that the nation is ready to take revenge on the current rulers in the upcoming elections.

READ: LHC DENIES PROVIDING LOWER JUDICIARY FOR ELECTION DUTIES

He said that the popularity of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan is increasing day by day. He asked the ruling Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) to refrain from committing constitutional violations.

Pervaiz Elahi said that all institutions are bound to assist the ECP for by-polls in light of the LHC verdict. He claimed that PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif will not return to Pakistan now and the top leadership is just deceiving the workers.

He said that PDM gave nothing to the nation but economic disasters. He added that the ruling PML-N should announce the election schedule if it is not afraid of the polls.

On February 10, the Lahore High Court (LHC) ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to organise by-polls in Punjab within three months.

READ: POLICE RAID EX-CM PERVAIZ ELAHI’S RESIDENCE IN GUJRAT

The LHC’s Justice Jawad Hassan announced the reserved verdict on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) petition seeking the court orders for Punjab by-polls.

In a 16-page short verdict, the high court ordered the election commission for organising by-polls in Punjab within 90 days.

The LHC directed the electoral watchdog to issue the election schedule in accordance with the Constitution.

It further stated that the elections should be conducted within 90 days after the dissolution of the assembly in accordance with the Constitution.

However, it is not clear in the law who will announce the date of elections in case of dissolution of assemblies, it added.

In light of the court’s decisions, the ECP is possessing the mandate to conduct elections as an independent and impartial institution.