Islamabad [Pakistan], May 7 : Pakistan's former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan castigated the Pakistan Democratic Movement for not implementing the Supreme Court verdict, ARY News reported.
He maintained that the constitution of Pakistan abides by-elections in 90 days and the nation stands behind the Chief Justice of Pakistan.
The former Prime Minister lambasted the PDM government saying they are now openly attacking the Supreme Court. The PTI chairman Imran Khan said that 70 per cent of people have no representation in the provincial and National Assembly.
Last month, the Supreme Court, while hearing a PTI petition, had directed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold general elections in the Punjab Assembly on May 14. However, the government had rejected the apex court's orders, according to Dawn.
After repeated back and forth last week, the Supreme Court on April 20 afforded a temporary respite to the country's main political parties, giving them time till April 26 to develop a consensus on the date for elections to the provincial and national assemblies, so they could be held simultaneously across the country. Negotiations subsequently followed between the government and the PTI but remained inconclusive, as per the report in Dawn.
Meanwhile, Chief Justice of Pakistan, Umar Ata Bandial said that if the Constitution mandated polls within 90 days of an assembly's dissolution then they are duty-bound to say that, not their choices, according to Dawn.
Speaking at the event in Lahore, Bandial said, "When it comes to constitutional enforcement we must not blink our eyes. If it says 90 days for holding elections, [then] it is our duty to say that and not our choice, instead of finding a reason why we should avoid saying that."
He further stated, "I'm sorry, I'm not worthy of controversy, I'm a very humble person. Please don't say that you support us. I'm just one of the members of the Supreme Court. You must support the Supreme Court if you stand up for the law and the Constitution and not [for] any individual," reported Dawn.
He also stated that when the Supreme Court makes the judgement on the basis of merit then its judgement has moral authority. That becomes even more important when those judgements are not appealed or no review is filed. If a review is filed then it will be heard because no judgement is binding unless it becomes final.
CJP Bandial said he was "optimistic" that the nation's leaders, institutions and people were all "committed to the Constitution".
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