Daily Times

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Thursday announced that it is going to challenge in the Supreme Court the Election Commission of Pakistan’s ‘unconstitutional’ decision to postpone elections to the Punjab Assembly.

Addressing a joint press conference, Fawad Chaudhry, flanked by PTI Secretary General Asad Umar, announced that they are moving the top court against the ECP for “breaching the Constitution”. “There is no other option but to hold elections on April 30,” insisted the PTI stalwart. He added that the former ruling party’s petition would seek the court’s order for holding elections in the province as per the previous schedule.

Fawad Chaudhry said the entire country wanted Article 6 of the Constitution, which deals with treason, to be invoked against the ECP officials. “This article has never been imposed on anyone but this time we have found civilians and it will be applied on them,” Fawad said. “This is the first time a sitting civilian government has made a move to subvert the Constitution”. He expressed the hope that the apex court would rule in the party’s favour.

“The entire nation is ready for elections,” Fawad said, asserting that polls would be held on April 30 “because the Constitution and the SC said so”. He further said it was imperative for the top court and the public to protect the Constitution, reiterating that the entire public 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.”

Turning his guns towards Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif-led coalition government, Fawad said that the joint sitting of parliament convened on Wednesday was aimed at an “attack on the Supreme Court”. “Judges are being blackmailed and pressurised,” he claimed.

Expressing his solidarity with the apex court and its judges, the PTI senior leader said that millions of people stand with the CJP and other judges of the apex court. “It is your duty to save the Constitution,” Fawad appealed to the judges of the top court.

Expressing his surprise, the former information minister said they were not part of the agenda of Wednesday’s sitting, adding that the “main target” of the parliament’s session was the Supreme Court.

On his part, Asad Umar termed the ECP’s decision to postpone elections in Punjab against the orders of the apex court. The PTI secretary general demanded that elections in the province should be held on April 30.

In their orders, the high courts of Islamabad, Peshawar and Lahore had clarified that the ECP could not change the election date, the PTI leader said. He further said that they will not allow any deviation from the Constitution. He also hoped that the top court will also hear their plea against KP Governor Haji Ghulam Ali.Earlier, Barrister Ali Zafar of the PTI said the party will move the SC against the ECP’s decision to change the date of elections in Punjab. He said the deadline of 90 days was ordained in the Constitution to hold elections to assemblies, adding the ECP ignored the Constitution.