Daily Times

The Supreme Court of Pakistan Friday will hear pleas for elections to be held within 90 days on October 23 (Monday).

The development was notified a day after Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa hinted at the Supreme Court’s plan to hear petitions seeking timely conduct of polls in the country after the caretaker government took over in August.

The petitions will be heard by a three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faiz Isa and consisting of Justice Athar Minullah and Justice Aminuddin Khan.

The pleas have been filed by the Supreme Court Bar Association, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and others to ensure that polls in the country are conducted in a timely manner.

The PTI has welcomed the apex court’s decision to form a bench to hear petitions seeking timely conduct of polls.

“The series of serious deviations from the constitution and gross violation of the fundamental rights of the citizens is having a very negative impact on the relationship between the state and the citizens,” the party’s spokesperson said in a statement issued by its central media department.

The PTI maintained that the Constitution is, in all respects, the basis of the relationship between the sovereign, the state and the citizens as well as the guarantor of the survival, security and development of the country.

“The Supreme Court has given a very detailed interpretation of the constitutional requirement of elections in 90 days on the request of former speaker Punjab assembly in its decision of April 4, 2023,” the statement read.

The party said it hoped that the SC’s three-member bench, headed by the chief justice, will complete the hearing in a swift manner in view of the fragility of time and will ensure respect for the purpose of the Constitution regarding the holding of elections in 90 days.

A day earlier, CJP Isa had indicated that the apex court may take up the pleas calling for timely elections and challenging the decision to try civilians in military courts in the coming days.

His remarks came during the discussion about adjournment of a case related to Pak Arab Refinery’s employees when the lawyers for the petitioners asked the top judge to adjourn the hearing for 15 days.

“Cases seeking timely general elections and trial of civilians in military courts will be fixed soon. Difficult cases are about to come in the Supreme Court and it will be tough to schedule other cases [during this period],” the chief justice remarked.