ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has summoned a special meeting on Monday to discuss the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) decision of holding elections in Punjab in 90 days, yesterday reported by a local news channel. The meeting has been summoned by Chief Election Commissioner, Sikandar Sultan Raja in light of the LHC directions to hold Punjab Assembly elections within a period of 90 days. The forum will finalise a plan to implement the LHC verdict. Fawad slams ECP for delaying meeting.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior leader and former information minister Fawad Chaudhry slammed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for not organising a meeting on Punjab general elections yesterday despite court orders. Taking to Twitter, the PTI leader said: “Election Commission of Pakistan should have held a meeting today for Punjab polls, don’t make a joke of the Constitution and court orders.” He further criticized the ECP, saying there was a general impression that since the electoral watchdog comprised of “Munshis” (clerks or personal assistants), it won’t hold provincial elections like it did in Islamabad. “This fiddling with the Constitution will cost the country dearly,” warned the former information minister. Fawad told the ECP that the Constitution is the only agreed document, and if that is also “trampled, then the state of Pakistan will be in serious danger”. LHC orders ECP to hold Punjab polls in 90 days

The Lahore High Court (LHC) had ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to organise by-polls in Punjab within three months. The LHC’s Justice Jawad Hassan announced the reserved verdict on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) petition seeking the court orders for Punjab by-polls. In a 16-page short verdict, the high court ordered the election commission for organising by-polls in Punjab within 90 days. The LHC directed the electoral watchdog to issue the election schedule in accordance with the Constitution. It further stated that the elections should be conducted within 90 days after the dissolution of the assembly in accordance with the Constitution.

Published in The Daily National Courier, February, 13 2023

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