ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Friday directed the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to issue Rs21 billion in funds to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for holding polls to the Punjab Assembly after the federal government failed to provide the sum on the specific date, local media reported.
During an in-chamber hearing today headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial, SC judges told the Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Awan that the court orders must be followed in the suo-moto notice over the postponement of Punjab polls.
During the hearing, the AGP presented the government’s stance and faced tough questions.
Meanwhile, the judges expressed anger over the non-disbursement of funds.
The apex court is expected to issue a formal order after Friday prayers.
Before the hearing, the AGP met officials from the ministry of finance as well as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif who had called on him for consultation.
The government, in a statement submitted today before the top court, stated that an Act of Parliament was necessary to “issue any money from the Federal Consolidated Fund and/or create a charge thereon”, however, it added, the National Assembly had “rejected” the bill for the release of electoral funds.
The statement read: “Issuance of any monies from the Federal Consolidated Fund is subject to parliamentary approval, which has been denied to the federal government by the Parliament for the purposes of holding general elections to the Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assemblies”.
It added consequently the government did not have the authority “under the Constitution to ask the State Bank of Pakistan” for funds.
