By Raza Ruman
As the Supreme Court will announce its verdict on the PTI’s petition challenging the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to postpone polls to the Punjab Assembly till Oct 8 on Tuesday (April 4), the grandson of the man who gave constitution to Pakistan is now threatening “emergency or martial law” on case the PPP and other PMLN led coalition have to go to polls in Punjab and Kyber Pakhtaunkhawa provinces.
What a shame for Bilawal Bhutto Zaradri when he talks about martial law and emergency in the wake of his government’s intention not to accept the SC’s likely decision to hold elections in Punjab and KPK.
It has been open secret that Bilal like Sharifs and Zardaris wants to be the favourite of the establishment to stay in power.
Neither Sharifs nor Zardaris afford to stay in opposition.
This poor lad had travelled the world in 80 days after becoming foreign minister of Shehbaz Sharif government knowing that this may be the last chance of him to grab a position like this.
But poor lad’s dream of emergency and martial law may not relaise at the end of teb day.
In the Monday’s proceedings, athree-member bench — comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar — reserved the judgment today after hearing all the parties, including the government, the PTI, the ECP and others. However, it did not hear the counsels of the coalition parties.
The government submitted a statement through Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Awan, requesting the formation of a full court to hear the case. It also sought the dismissal of the PTI petition in the light of what it interpreted as a “4-3” order issued by the apex court on March 1.
The apex court, had in a 3-2 verdict, ruled on March 1 that elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab — both of which have been under caretaker governments since the provincial assemblies were dissolved in January — should be held within 90 days.
The government, however, had disputed with the court directions, calling the verdict 4-3 instead after Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail and Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah — who were among the four judges who had written additional notes in the Feb 23 order — raised objections on the constitution of the bench as well as the invocation of the apex court’s suo motu jurisdiction by the chief justice.
However, the CJP rejected the government’s request for a full court and instead suggested that a larger bench could be sought.
It’s election time PDM — reminded to it by the PTI. PAK DESTINY
