LAHORE: The court, on Friday, in a hearing asked the lawyer of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for the dates of the elections in Punjab.
The court said ECP advocate when to conduct the elections to which the advocate answered that “we are ready to conduct the election”.
The ECP lawyer responded by saying that they were ready to conduct the elections. There has been a new development in the case, as the governor has responded to the ECP’s letter and advised the commission to consult with all stakeholders.
Justice Jawad Hassan pointed out that the constitution requires elections to be held within 90 days. The court inquired, “How you can say that the economic situation has worsened? Even before that, the economic situation was bad, but the elections were held, and the court inquired.
Today’s Hearing
On the other hand, the federal government’s advocate stated that there was still time remaining within the 90-day deadline. Justice Jawad Hasan asked about the election date, to which the government advocate asked if the court would set the date. Justice Jawad Hasan reminded the advocate that they were in a constitutional court and discussed the requirements outlined in the constitution.
The government advocates assured that no one was saying there would be no election. The court then asked PTI’s lawyer, Barrister Ali Zafar, to present arguments. The barrister stated that elections must be held within 90 days of the assembly’s dissolution and that the governor had not yet announced the election date.
The court directed the ECP advocate to submit the election dates, rather than waiting for the governor’s decision. Justice Jawad Hasan instructed the ECP advocate not to wait and to provide the election date.
Punjab Governor
The court granted the lawyer of the Punjab Governor an opportunity to submit a response. The court instructed all parties involved to provide comprehensive answers to the court before the next hearing. The parties must submit their answers prior to the hearing and provide a copy to the person who initiated the case. The hearing was adjourned until February 9.
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