ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday celebrated the Supreme Court’s (SC) decision declaring the Election Commission of Pakistan’s decision to delay the elections to the Punjab Assembly “null and void”, while the coalition government criticised the same, saying it the country will be run by its elected representatives and they are saying that a full court should be formed.
The supreme court announced that general elections of the Punjab Assembly would be held on May 14. Following the announcement, PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi said in a statement that today marks “the most important day in the political history of Pakistan”. He said that the nation is proud that those who make decisions based on the constitution and conscience are still alive.
“Today, the Supreme Court buried the doctrine of necessity forever,” he said adding that “the difference between democratic, constitutional forces and non-democratic, unconstitutional forces has become clear today”. “I congratulate the black-coat lawyers across the country for coming out for the supremacy of the Constitution,” said the PTI leader.
In a tweet, PTI Secretary General Asad Umar said that the “attempt to deviate from the constitution” and the doctrine of necessity has been rejected. PTI leader Shireen Mazari also praised the verdict and maintained that the “constitution stands reaffirmed” by the SC. The PTI leader added that the ECP decision on March 22 to delay the Punjab elections “had no basis in [the] constitution and the law,” and that the ECP’s “shenanigans stand exposed yet again”.
Govt on SC verdict
Criticising the Supreme Court’s decision, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz reiterated its demand for a formation of a full court. In a tweet, the party said that the country will be run by its elected representatives and that its elected representatives are saying that a full court should be formed. It is to mention here that on Monday, during the court proceedings, Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial had suggested that the government could request formation of a larger bench, not a full court.
Railway Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique said that “the decision of the three-member bench seems to deepen the constitutional and political crisis.” He maintained that “the internal division of the Supreme Court is very unfortunate.” Meanwhile, lawyers associated with the PML-N held a protest against the apex court’s ruling nullifying the ECP’s decision to delay the Punjab Assembly elections.
