ISLAMABAD: Amid a relentless tussle between Pakistan’s state institutions, the country’s National Assembly on Thursday rejected through a resolution the Supreme Court’s verdict directing the government to hold elections next month in Punjab, the country’s most populous province governed by a caretaker setup.
On April 4, a three-member SC bench headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial had nullified the Election Commission of Pakistan’s decision to delay polls in Punjab from April 30 to October 8 and fixed May 14 as the day for polls in the province.
The governing coalition parties in the lower house of parliament urged PM Shehbaz Sharif not to abide by the apex court’s ruling. The resolution against the SC verdict was prepared collectively by coalition parties of the incumbent government and moved by Khalid Magsi, a Balochistan Awami Party legislator who is considered one of the military’s pawns in parliament. The NA expressed concern over “interference in political matters”, saying such judgments were creating anarchy in the country and paving the way for division in the federating units.
MNA Mohsin Leghari of the Imran Khan-led PTI, while opposing the resolution, and asked: “Are we committing contempt of court?” “The constitution prohibits speaking against the judiciary in the House,” he said. He added that in passing the resolution the house has “collectively committed contempt of court” and warned that a “war” with the SC would be “very dangerous”.
On April 4, a three-member SC bench headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial had nullified the Election Commission of Pakistan’s decision to delay polls in Punjab from April 30 to October 8 and fixed May 14 as the day for polls in the province.
The governing coalition parties in the lower house of parliament urged PM Shehbaz Sharif not to abide by the apex court’s ruling. The resolution against the SC verdict was prepared collectively by coalition parties of the incumbent government and moved by Khalid Magsi, a Balochistan Awami Party legislator who is considered one of the military’s pawns in parliament. The NA expressed concern over “interference in political matters”, saying such judgments were creating anarchy in the country and paving the way for division in the federating units.
MNA Mohsin Leghari of the Imran Khan-led PTI, while opposing the resolution, and asked: “Are we committing contempt of court?” “The constitution prohibits speaking against the judiciary in the House,” he said. He added that in passing the resolution the house has “collectively committed contempt of court” and warned that a “war” with the SC would be “very dangerous”.