Daily Times

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Friday filed a plea in the Lahore High Court (LHC) seeking direction for the Punjab governor to immediately announce the election date for the provincial Assembly in order to ensure that polls are held within 90 days of its dissolution.

PTI’s Secretary General Asad Umar filed the petition through barrister Ali Zafar contending that the governor of Punjab has been impleaded as a respondent since Article 105(3) of the Constitution requires him to appoint an election date to the provincial assembly not later than 90 days from the date of dissolution but he has failed to discharge that constitutional duty. Barrister Zafar implored in the petition that on January 12, 2023, the then Punjab chief minister, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, advised the governor to dissolve the assembly in the exercise of his constitutional powers under Article 112 of the Constitution. On January 14, 2023, pursuant to the advice of the then chief minister in accordance with terms of Article 112(1) of the Constitution, the assembly stood dissolved. He contended that subsequently, the speaker of the Punjab Assembly, through a letter on January 20, 2023, requested the respondent to fulfil his constitutional duty and immediately appoint a date not later than 90 days from the date of dissolution for the general election of the Assembly as required by Article 105 (3)(1)(a) read with Article 224 of the constitution.