PTI announces to hold rallies across Pakistan

LAHORE: In a bid to mobilise the masses, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced to hold rallies across Pakistan, ARY News reported on Monday.

According to details, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is set to hold rallies across the country to mount pressure on the incumbent government to hold general election.

PTI chairman released guidelines to party officials related to rallies across the country, while the political party will also show full solidarity with the Judiciary of Pakistan.

Earlier, PTI Chairman Imran Khan demanded the government to hold general elections across Pakistan, reiterating that political stability was imperative for economic growth.

Citing the Supreme Court’s verdict, Khan said he was sure that they would conduct general elections. “Polls are the first step towards getting out of this quagmire,” he said adding that political stability will come from elections.

He also said that people’s confidence will also increase when a government comes into power with a public mandate.

The former prime minister emphasised that all institutions, including the judiciary, needed to come together and agree on reforms. He pointed out that no government could think of going alone and tackling the country’s issue by its own.

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.