After intelligence briefing, defence ministry asks top court to recall election order

Ministry files petition in Supreme Court seeking elections across country on same date n Intelligence officials brief CJP Bandial, two other judges on security situation.

ISLAMABAD    –    The top officials of the premier intel­ligence agencies met with Chief Jus­tice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Umar Ata Bandial and other two judges, who had passed an order on the de­lay of elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a day ago.

Sources said Tuesday that the meeting which took place in the chambers continued for over two hours where the intelligence officials gave briefing to the judges regarding the security situation in the country. They further said that the meeting was arranged on the request of Sec­retary Defence Lt Gen (retd) Hamood uz Zaman through Attorney General for Pakistan Usman Mansoor Awan, who was also present in the meeting.

It was not clear yet whether the Su­preme Court expressed satisfaction with the briefing. However, the brief­ing will have far-reaching implica­tions if the judges get convinced that the security situation in the coun­try does not allow the deployment of troops to ensure security during the poll in Punjab.

Meanwhile, in the latest develop­ment, the Ministry of Defence Tues­day moved the Supreme Court seek­ing elections across the country on the same date. The ministry’s view is in line with the federal govern­ment’s stance, which has persistent­ly opposed holding separate general elections in Punjab and Khyber Pa­khtunkhwa (KP).

The tenure of the National Assem­bly and the legislature of two other provinces — Sindh and Balochistan — will end later this year and the federal government wants the polls to take place then, not in May, as di­rected by the Supreme Court on April 4.

“…the instant application may be granted, the order dated 04-04-2023 passed in C.P. No. 5/2023 may kindly be recalled with the directions that the general elections to the National and all Provin­cial Assemblies be held to­gether, upon completion of the term of the National and the other two Provincial As­semblies i.e. of Sindh and Ba­lochistan,” the ministry’s plea stated, according to a private TV channel. 

In the April 4 order, the top court ruled that the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to postpone polls to the Punjab Assembly till Octo­ber 8 was “unconstitutional” and fixed May 14 as the date for polls in Punjab.

But despite the court’s orders, the government did not budge and got a resolution passed through parliament against the verdict, clearly stating that it would not provide funds to the ECP for polls.

Following the government’s move, the apex court direct­ed the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to release a total of Rs21 billion to the election commis­sion for holding polls, but even after the deadline passed on April 17, the central bank did not release the funds.

In a report filed in the top court earlier Tuesday, the ECP said the conduct of the elec­tion on May 14 is getting im­possible due to the non-pro­vision of funds and security forces for maintaining law and order.

Interior Minister Rana Sanaul­lah asserted last week that elec­tions to the Punjab Assembly would not be held on May 14 de­spite “all-out efforts” of the op­position Pakistan Tehreek-e-In­saf (PTI).

In response, PTI Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry had demanded the Supreme Court initiate contempt proceedings against Prime Minister Sheh­baz Sharif and the federal cab­inet for not releasing funds to the ECP for polls.

Article source: https://www.nation.com.pk/19-Apr-2023/after-intelligence-briefing-defence-ministry-asks-top-court-to-recall-election-order