Politics

Federal cabinet rejects top court’s verdict in election delay case

Published

1 year ago

Farwa

Federal cabinet sources say “verdict unenforceable”.
Govt to raise voice in parliament regarding SC decision: sources.
Maryam terms three-member bench as “Khan’s facilitators”.

ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet Tuesday rejected the Supreme Court’s “unanimous verdict” on the case pertaining to the postponement of election in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), sources told Geo News.

The development came during the cabinet’s meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, held after a three-member bench — headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar as members — announced the apex court’s verdict on the matter which it had reserved a day earlier.

Announcing the verdict on a plea filed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the country’s top court declared the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to postpone polls in Punjab and KP from April 30 to October 8 as ‘null and void’.

The Supreme Court, in its verdict, states that the ECP’s order dated March 22, 2023, is declared to be unconstitutional, without lawful authority or jurisdiction, void ab-initio, of no legal effect, and is hereby quashed.

“The Supreme Court’s decision is a minority verdict, which is why the cabinet rejects it,” the sources in the federal cabinet said.

The top court’s decision, as per the sources, is not enforceable.

The government would raise its voice in parliament regarding the verdict, the sources added. It was also decided in the meeting that the coalition parties in power will talk about the apex court’s decision in parliament, they added.

In the meeting, the cabinet decided to present its position on the verdict.

‘Last blow of conspiracy’

Commenting on the SC decision, Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Vice-President and Chief Organiser Maryam Nawaz took to her Twitter and wrote that today’s verdict is the last blow of the conspiracy which began by “rewriting the Constitution and presenting the Punjab government on a plate” to the bench’s blue-eyed boy, Khan.

آج کا فیصلہ اس سازش کا آخری وار ہے جس کا آغاز آئین کو re-write کر کے پنجاب حکومت پلیٹ میں رکھ بنچ کے لاڈلے عمران کو پیش کی گئی کہ لو بیٹا، توڑ دو تاکہ ہم جیسے سہولت کاروں کی موجودگی اور نگرانی میں تمھیں دوبارہ سیلیکٹ کیا جائے۔
— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) April 4, 2023

Maryam termed the three-member bench as “Khan’s facilitators” and said that this was done so he could be reselected under their presence and supervision.

2018 میں جو کام فیض، کھوسہ اور ثاقب نثار نے انجام دیا تھا، وہ ذمہ داری اب اس بنچ نے اٹھا لی ہے۔ اس خوفناک اور ڈھٹائی سے کی گئی سہولت کاری اور ون مین شو کے خلاف سپریم کورٹ کی اکثریت نے بغاوت کر دی۔ وقت آ گیا ہے کہ پارلیمنٹ اس سہولت کاری کو اپنے آئینی اور قانونی ہاتھوں سے روک دے۔ https://t.co/8JOoBEez66
— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) April 4, 2023

“This bench has taken responsibility for the work done by [Lt Gen] Faiz [Hamid], [ex-CJP Asif Saeed] Khosa and Saqib Nisar in 2018. A majority of the Supreme Court revolted against this appalling and brazen facilitation and one-man show,” the PML-N scion tweeted, stressing that it is now time for the parliament to stop this facilitation using its “constitutional and legal hands”.

وفاقی کابینہ کی جانب سے فیصلہ مسترد کر دینا کافی نہیں ہے۔ آئین اور قانون کی دھجیاں اڑا کر لاڈلے کو مسلط کرنے کی کوشش کرنے والوں کو کٹہرے میں کھڑا کرنا چاہیے۔
— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) April 4, 2023

She further stated that it is not enough for the federal cabinet to reject the verdict. The PML-N politician wrote that those who tried to impose the “favourite” by defying the Constitution and law should be brought to the rostrum.

Latest News

MQM-P seeks the chairmanship of standing committees

Published

9 hours ago

Farwa

According to people familiar with the case, a MQM-P team met with Sindh Assembly Speaker Qadir Shah and Sindh Interior Minister Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar.

During the meeting, the provincial assembly’s standing committees were discussed, and MQM-P demanded that 14 standing committees be chaired by them.

The gathering focussed on discussions about the formation of standing committees within the provincial assembly. It was revealed that MQM-P advocated for the appointment of chairmanships to 14 standing committees.

The MQM-P has prioritized the Standing Committees on Interior, Education, Health, Finance, Industries, and KMC, submitting a list to the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leadership.

According to sources, the PPP has sought time to reflect on the situation and respond after conferring with senior leadership.

Meanwhile, the MQM claimed that as the second-largest party in the House, they should be given chairmanship of the 14 standing committees.

Latest News

Fazlur Rehman supports the consensus between JUI-F and PTI.

Published

9 hours ago

Farwa

In an interview with a private news channel, Maulana Fazlur Rehman stated that the two parties’ divisions were’mountain-sized’. “The PTI delegation has arrived, and we have welcomed them in accordance with our traditions,” Maulana Fazalur Rehman said.

The JUI-F president stated that resolving their disputes with the PTI would be beneficial. “If not, every political party has its stance and opinion,” he added.

Maulana Fazalur Rehman stated that the PTI team suggested settling various concerns, to which both parties agreed.

He stated that one or two PTI members make ‘inappropriate’ statements against the JUI-F, and that those words are not taken seriously.

“We consider solely the delegation liable because they stated that they were dispatched by the PTI founder. We shall keep to our stand as long as they do not violate it.” Maulana Fazalur Rehman

He claimed that the JUI-F has never offended anyone and will not do so in the future. The JUI-F president stated unequivocally that their million-man march on May 9 had nothing to do with the tragedy.

Earlier on May 2, Maulana Fazlur Rehman disputed the results of the general elections and sought new ones, citing ‘widespread rigging and anomalies’.

Speaking to a crowd in Karachi, Maulana Fazlur Rehman stated that assemblies had been’sold’. “Sindh Assembly and President House were also sold,” said the official.

The JUI-F chief requested quick re-elections to ensure the democratic process’s integrity.

“The recent elections were fake, and its results are unacceptable,” he continued. The JUI leader called new elections to ensure that the people’s voices are heard and their mandates are respected.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman also criticized the federal government’s foreign policy, particularly its position against Israel and Palestine. “We are being punished for supporting Palestine and opposing Israel,” he declared.

Latest News

Salim Haider’s inauguration as Punjab governor will be attended by Bilawal.

Published

1 day ago

Farwa

Punjab governor Sardar Salim Haider Khan, the leader of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), will take the oath of office today (Tuesday).

The oath-taking ceremony is scheduled to begin at 6:00 p.m. at the Governor’s House, according to sources. Chief Justice Sardar Salim Haider of the Lahore High Court (LHC) will administer the oath.

The leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Punjab cabinet members, Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, and PPP leaders will be present at the oath-taking event.

The ceremony to take the oath of office was originally slated for Sunday, May 5, but it was postponed for two days due to the absence of the current governor, Balighur Rehman. The PPP leaders had been asked by the PML-N to reschedule the event by two days.