By Special Correspondent
LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Thursday vowed to challenge the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) decision to postpone Punjab Assembly elections originally scheduled to be held on April 30 to October 8.
Addressing a press conference here in the wake of the ECP decision, PTI leaders Asad Umar and Fawad Chaudhry said that the party will petition the apex court tomorrow (Friday).
In a late-night order, the Commission stated that after considering the reports, briefings, and material brought before it, it has concluded that it is impossible to hold and organise the polls “honestly, justly, fairly, in a peaceful manner and in accordance with the Constitution and law”. Therefore, in the exercise of powers conferred upon the ECP by Article 218(3), read with Section 58 and Section 8(c) of the Elections Act, 2017, the commission “hereby withdraws the election programme […] and fresh schedule will be issued in due course of time with the poll date on October 8”, it had said.
Addressing the media alongside PTI’s Senator Ejaz Chaudhry and Asad Umar, Fawad Chaudhry said the entire country wanted Article 6 of the constitution, which deals with treason, to be invoked against the Election Commission of Pakistan officials. This article has never been used against anyone but this time we have found civilians and it will be applied to them,” Fawad Chaudhry stated. “This is the first time a sitting civilian government has made a move to subvert the constitution,” he added. He, however, expressed the hope that the Supreme Court would rule in the party’s favour.
Fawad said the entire nation is ready for elections, asserting that polls would be held on April 30 “because the constitution and the SC said so”. He said it was imperative for the public and top court to protect the constitution, reiterating that the entire nation was standing behind the top court. “I appeal to the judges that saving the constitution is their job […] You don’t have any other work.”
The PTI senior leader maintained that the top court was being pressurised through a campaign being carried out by the sitting government. “But I hope the SC judges will protect the Constitution,” he said. “Millions of people are standing behind the chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP),” he maintained.
The PTI leader said that the PML-N celebrated all the senior judges when former National Assembly speaker Qasim Khan Suri’s ruling on the no-confidence motion against ex-prime minister Imran Khan was declared illegal “but now they have a problem with the judges and CJP”. He also lambasted the law minister, saying “Azam Tarar should change his name as devil’s advocate”.
There is no other option but to hold polls on April 30, the PTI stalwart insisted. He said the former ruling party’s petition would seek the court’s order for holding elections in the province as per the previous schedule.
Turning his guns towards Shehbaz Sharif-led coalition government, Fawad said that the joint sitting of the parliament convened on Wednesday was aimed at attacking the apex court. It is to mention here that the joint session was held on Wednesday instead of 10th of the next month to “take important decisions” to enforce the state’s authority.
Expressing his surprise, the PTI leader said his party was not part of the agenda of yesterday’s sitting and added that the “main target” of the parliament’s session was the apex court. He further said that they are ready for talks on elections.
For his part, PTI senior leader Asad Umar termed the commission’s decision to postpone elections in Punjab against the orders of the supreme court. Secretary General PTI demanded that elections in the province should be held as oroginally scheduled on April 30. He also hoped that the top court will also hear their plea against Governor KP Haji Ghulam Ali.
