PTI to speed up election campaign in Punjab, KP after SC verdict

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and former Punjab chief minister (CM) Pervaiz Elahi has agreed to accelerate election campaign in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) after Supreme Court’s (SC) 3-2 verdict on polls, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

The development came during a meeting between former premier and Pervaiz Elahi, who called on him at his residence in Lahore’s Zaman Park.

Both leaders welcomed the Supreme Court (SC) verdict of elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to be held within 90 days. The political leaders also consulted on party’s future course of action after SC decision.

Speaking on the occasion, Imran Khan lauds the apex court for upholding the Constitution, saying that the nation’s struggle for the supremacy of the constitution has brought success.

The former prime minister noted that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will speed up its election campaign in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), directing the party leaders and workers to start preparations for polls. He also asked Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) to abide by the Constitution,

Meanwhile, former Punjab CM Pervaiz Elahi said that the country has to run according to the constitution and not on the wishes of Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz Sharif or Maryam Nawaz.

He also urged the judiciary to take suo motu of Maryam Nawaz’s tirade against judges, saying that action should be taken on the letter of former Attorney General Anwar Mansoor Khan.

“Shehbaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz tried their best to run away from the elections,” Elahi said, adding that the apex court’s decision has uphold the election by ordering to hold polls within 90 days.

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.