PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday fixed the hearing of a petition seeking the date of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa elections. The petition was filed by PA speaker Mushtaq Ghani. A two-member bench comprising Justice Abdul Shakoor and Justice Muhammad Ibrahim Khan will hear the petition on Wednesday.
Yesterday, the federal government rejected the demand for the disbursement of PKR 21 billion in additional funds for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Punjab elections. Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar stated that the National Assembly (NA) has already passed a resolution about the provision of funds for the elections, and four judges of the Supreme Court (SC) have given their opinions against the suo motu notice.
Tarar added that while the State Bank of Pakistan has been directed to disburse PKR 21 billion during an in-chamber hearing, the standing committee on finance has directed that approval must be obtained from the National Assembly. The law minister noted that the federal cabinet has also approved the additional funds from the assembly.
Elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab
The KP elections have been a topic of debate and controversy recently, with several parties and politicians calling for a prompt announcement of the election date. The KP Assembly will complete its term on May 28, and the election is expected to take place within 60 days of that date, as per constitutional requirements.
The PHC’s hearing of the petition filed by Mushtaq Ghani is expected to shed light on the potential date for the KP elections and clarify the ongoing debate over the matter.
