'SC decision deepened political, constitutional crises'

ISLAMABAD: Reacting to the SC verdict on the election delay case, Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar Tuesday said the decision has ‘deepened’ political and constitutional crises in Pakistan, ARY News reported.

The Supreme Court (SC) declared the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) March 22 order on Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) elections null and void.

The Supreme Court declared the ECP’s order postponing the provincial assembly elections until October 8 as “unconstitutional” and ordered the government to release Rs10 billion for elections in Punjab by April 10.

Regretting the SC verdict, while addressing a press conference, Azam Nazeer Tarar said three-member bench of SC rejected demands of political parties, bar councils and civil society.

“Full court should have heard the case and pronounced the verdict.”

The minister said the confusion on the decision of a three-member bench against a four-member bench can only be clear with the formation of a full court. “Who will accept the decision of three judges after nullifying the decision of the four-member bench.”

Tarar claimed that Supreme Court is divided at the moment and being head of the SC, it is the responsibility of the CJP to end this impression.

Commenting on Justice Qazi Faez Isa’s ruling, Azam Nazeer Tarar said the formation of a six-member bench is an endorsement of AGP’s narrative he presented during the election delay case.

The minister again appealed CJP Justice Umar Ata Bandial to ‘correct’ the matters with a 13-member bench.