مضمون کا ماخذ : raspadinha caixa
‘Courts behind every political party’, CJP on level-playing field
The top court issued notices to Punjab advocate general, inspector general and chief secretary on Wednesday on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) contempt petition against the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) regarding the alleged lack of a level-playing field in the upcoming general elections. The Supreme Court (SC) has sought a report from the officials over […]
The top court issued notices to Punjab advocate general, inspector general and chief secretary on Wednesday on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) contempt petition against the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) regarding the alleged lack of a level-playing field in the upcoming general elections.
The Supreme Court (SC) has sought a report from the officials over the implementation of its December 22, 2023 order asking the election commission to redress the party’s concerns. The hearing was adjourned till January 8.
At the hearing, PTI’s lawyer Latif Khosa argued that the party was not being provided a level-playing field in Punjab. “No institution can violate its constitutional duties by remaining a silent bystander,” he stated. At this, Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa asked Khosa to focus on his case. He asked whether the PTI filed a complaint regarding the violations with the ECP – the concerned institution.
The PTI counsel responded that the party did not submit a complaint with the electoral watchdog since its election commissioner for Punjab had, on December 24, written a letter to the provincial chief secretary and IG regarding the matter. Irked at the counsel’s argument, CJP Isa maintained that nothing came of the allegations made by the PTI in the 2013 elections as well. “You wasted the court’s time even then. This court was the same forum where the allegation of ’35 punctures’ was thrown around,” he remarked. The CJP further added that it was “also you who appointed the current chief election commissioner, not us”.
During the hearing, Justice Isa further remarked that “this case should have been taken up with the high court Khosa sahib; we have given you extra mileage”.
The CJP urged the PTI counsel to “stop thinking the world is against you”. “Think positively,” Justice Isa said, further asking Khosa to not say that the upcoming elections were going to be the “worst”. “We only ask questions. Don’t be offended,” he added. Justice Isa stated that the court cannot be expected to give directions over whose nomination papers to be accepted, and whose to be dropped. “The courts stand behind every political party,” he said, those who have objected to the rejection of their nomination papers should approach election tribunals.
Ahead of the hearing, the PTI had submitted documents with the SC claiming that papers of over 2,000 PTI leaders have been rejected, raising questions about the fairness of the electoral process. The party claims that the submitted documents underscore that 668 papers belonging to the top leadership of the PTI have faced rejection.
