Daily Times

The PTI and its leaders lashed out at the ECP’s move with party chairman Imran Khan saying it violated the Constitution and termed it the “end of rule of law in Pakistan”.

“By postponing Punjab elections till Oct ECP has violated the Constitution. Today everyone must stand behind the legal community – the judiciary & lawyers – with expectation that they will protect Constitution. For if this is accepted today then it is the end of Rule of Law in Pak,” Imran Khan tweeted.

“We dissolved our 2 provincial legislatures with expectation that elections would be held in 90 days as clearly given in our Constitution.

We did not take this action to allow a bunch of fascists to impose a reign of terror, violating the Constitution & Rule of Law,” he added. PTI Secretary General Asad Umar questioned under which constitutional provision the commission had changed the date when its stance in the courts was that it did not have the authority to announce the election date.

“The Constitution and the Supreme Court have been effectively abolished, Pakistan is now without a constitution,” said PTI Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry.

PTI Senator Faisal Javed said it was the beginning of a “constitutional war” and called for the Punjab caretaker government to be immediately sacked.

“ECP violates Constitution by calling off Punjab elections for which schedule given and candidates scrutiny ongoing. All eyes on SC with expectation it will ensure Constitution upheld and elections on as per SC order and Constitution. Is it first step towards overtly ending democracy?” noted senior PTI leader Shireen Mazari.

Former PPP senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar termed the move a “blatant mockery of the Constitution”.