Daily Times

PML-Q leader and Speaker Punjab Assembly Ch Pervaiz Elahi Friday welcomed the Supreme Court’s verdict on the Punjab chief minister’s election saying “all our demands have been accepted today”. The Supreme Court, after a marathon hearing, ruled that the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) order to recount the vote cast in the April 16 Punjab chief minister election and conduct a second round of voting if required would now be implemented after by-elections on 20 Punjab Assembly seats were conducted on July 17.

The decision was reached after a consensus among the PTI, PML-Q and the Punjab government. Talking to the media after the hearing, Elahi, who is competing for the post of chief executive alongside PML-N’s Hamza, hailed the top court’s order saying, “A good decision has been taken today in which all our demands have been met”. “Even the chief justice appreciated that a consensus was reached amicably,” he remarked, says a news report. Briefing the media on the order, the PML-Q leader said the court had decided there would be no “use of police” or “victimization” during the July 22 elections and “everything will be held as per the rules of the assembly.” He said the chief minister’s election would now be held after the house was complete.

“They will be conducted once the notifications for the 20 PA members and 5 reserved PTI seats are issued.” Elahi asserted that the poll would be held in the assembly, adding that he would be responsible for ensuring adherence to the rules and election code of conduct in the House. He also said the verdict was a “win for democracy and the Constitution”. Terming the verdict a “very good decision”, Elahi said the apex court accepted all the demands put forward by them.