Only full court can end constitutional crisis: Bilawal Bhutto

His statement comes after Supreme Court’s three-member bench nullified the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to postpone polls in Punjab.

The three-member bench led by Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar had announced the verdict earlier today on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) petition challenging the ECP’s move to postpone Punjab Assembly polls till October.

The apex court announced that general elections of the Punjab Assembly would be held on May 14 as it declared the ECP’s decision “unconstitutional”.

Addressing a gathering in Larkana to mark the 44th martyrdom anniversary of late prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Bilawal demanded the apex court to remove the two judges from the bench “who were caught talking to the opposition on the phone”. However, he did not name any judge.

He said the PPP is ready to fight the elections anytime if the matter regarding the early polls in the two assemblies — Punjab and K-P — is settled by a full court.

The fate of a ruler and the decisions of the country should not be made by a judge but by the people, he said.

Bilawal said when the floor-crossing took place, the courts did not intervene and left the matter to the parliament.

Referring to the apex court verdict on Article 63-A related to defection clause, the PPP chief said that, “Judiciary took away the throne of Lahore from PDM and gave it to Parvaiz Elahi as a result of which the country is suffering from political crisis.”

He also questioned Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial’s refusal to constitute a full court on polls delay case saying, “If there is no difference among the SC judges then what is the issue in making a full court. You can save the country from constitutional crisis by making a full court.”

He also asked the top court to restore prestige of the judiciary and democracy to bring stability to the country. “Otherwise the fight for the throne of Lahore will affect the whole country and the federation. It will sink the country and the people of Pakistan will have to bear the consequences,” he warned.

Article source: https://www.suchtv.pk/pakistan/sindh/item/119198-only-full-court-can-end-constitutional-crisis-bilawal-bhutto.html