Pakistan Election Commission deferred the Punjab General Elections

The Election Commission of Pakistan postponed the Punjab Assembly elections scheduled on April 30, now these will be held on October 8. According to the notification of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Inspector General Police (IGP), Punjab informed about the poor law and order situation in the province. IG Punjab while referring to the recent terrorist activities in the province said it will take at least five months to complete the operation against terrorists, as there is a shortage of 386 thousand policemen in Punjab province, only by deploying the Army and Rangers, this shortage can be met.

According to the Ministry of Interior, the army is in charge of borders, internal security, protection of important installations, and security of foreigners so they will not be available for static duty regarding elections in Punjab province. While referring to the Interior Minister, the Election Commission of Pakistan said that political leaders are on the hit list of terrorists, and they can be targeted in the election campaign.

The ECP official notification states that according to the Ministry of Finance, there is a financial and economic crisis in the country, there are harsh conditions of the IMF, and it will be difficult for the government to release funds for the KP and Punjab Assembly elections because of the bad economic situation. So the election schedule of the Punjab Assembly has been withdrawn and the President Mr. Arif Alvi has been informed about the decision.

Previously, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) dissolved the assemblies of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in January this year, after which caretaker governments were established in both provinces. The Supreme Court of Pakistan took suo moto notice of the non-announcement of the date of the general elections in both provinces. The Supreme Court had ordered the elections to be held in both provinces within 90 days as per the constitution, after which the Election Commission suggested the dates from April 30 to May 7 for the elections in Punjab. The President had fixed April 30 as the date for the Punjab Assembly elections. On the other hand, Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Haji Ghulam Ali has given the date of May 28 for the elections in the province.

In a statement, Federal Minister of Information Ms. Maryam Aurangzeb appreciated the decision of the Election Commission and said “These rulings have saved the country from a major constitutional crisis and this decision will guarantee political stability in the country. The decision of the Election Commission is in the interest of Pakistan and was taken after looking at the economic, political, and security situation in the country”. She said due to the ego of one man (Imran Khan), elections are being imposed on two provinces, If the elections were held in 2 provinces on April 30, they would have been controversial forever.

Chairman PTI Imran Khan believes that the aforesaid verdict of ECP is a violation of the constitution and will pave the way to anarchy in the county. Reacting to the Election Commission’s postponement of the elections in Punjab, Imran Khan said that he dissolved the two provincial assemblies in the hope that the elections would be held in 90 days. “Remaining silent on this issue is equivalent to ending the supremacy of the constitution and law in Pakistan, now Pakistanis have to stand with the judiciary and lawyers community”, he said while criticizing the ECP.

The Supreme Court Bar Association strongly condemned the postponement of the Punjab Assembly elections till October. In a statement, the Supreme Court Bar Association has demanded protection of the Constitution from all constitutional institutions. Bar said that the election commission cannot change the date of the elections in any case, it was clear in the decision of the Supreme Court that the elections must be held within 90 days. The election commission violated its constitutional mandate and the order of the Supreme Court. Meantime the Election Commission misinterpreted the Constitution and the decision of the Supreme Court.

Leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Mr. Asad Umra and Mr. Fawad Chaudhry held a joint press conference in Lahore. Both leaders disapproved the postponement of elections in Punjab. Asad Umer said, “given decision was contrary to the Constitution and the clear orders of the Supreme Court”.

EAT News conducted a telephonic interview with the former federal minister and prominent leader of PTI Mr. Fawad Chaudhry. He said the election commission violated the constitution and the decision of the supreme court of Pakistan. Fawad Chaudhry urged the prosecution of the five members of the Election Commission for high treason under Article 6 of the constitution. “We filed a writ petition against the ECP verdict in the supreme court of Pakistan that the Punjab election must be held on 30 April. 96 bar associations across the country rejected this decision, and the PTI will stand behind the lawyers’ movement. In the petition it is demanded that the election commission is involved in contempt of court, the coalition government does not want to conduct elections in the country because they are afraid of the popularity of PTI and Imran Khan.

During the case hearing, The Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), Justice Umar Ata Bandial said that if the government and the opposition do not negotiate on the issue of holding elections, then the court will play a constitutional role. Later on during the hearing, the Supreme Court announced the verdict in the case related to the postponement of elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. According to this, the Election Commission’s decision to hold the election on October 8 has been declared null and void, moreover, it was directed that the election be held on May 14 in Punjab province. The Supreme Court declared that the Election Commission exceeded its jurisdiction by giving the date of October 8 for the elections.

Independent experts believe the government is avoiding the elections; inflation, and price hike of the day-to-day commodities are badly damaging the popularity graph of the sitting government. There is fear that if elections are conducted immediately, the PTI will win the majority of seats in both provinces which will be a gigantic setback for the current government.