Govt could even commit contempt of court to evade from elections in country: Imran Khan
Says govt is scared of losing elections obvious from all opinion polls
PTI moved the Supreme Court (SC) against KP Governor’s decision for setting October 8 as a polling date for KP elections.
ISLAMABAD ( Web News )
Former prime minister and Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan has stated that the government could even commit contempt of court to evade from holding elections in the country, due later this year.
Imran Khan expressed these views during an interview he gave to Al Jazeera. He further stated, “The government is petrified of losing the elections because all opinion polls show they are going to be decimated. They are just running scared of the election and they are even willing to violate the constitution.” He further said if the court decision was not obeyed and someone tried to hinder elections the nation will rush to roads.
He remarked, “When I decided to dissolve my two assemblies [in the states governed by PTI], we got top lawyers in the country. We all looked at the constitution and each one of them said that the moment you dissolve assemblies, elections will have to be held within 90 days. It is unambiguous.”
He further stated, “If the government does not accept the Supreme Court’s verdict, it means they are now violating the constitution. In that case, the Supreme Court could slap contempt [charges] on them. And let me assure everyone that all the people of Pakistan would be standing with the Supreme Court. I think it just won’t be the PTI.”
Imran Khan maintained he is willing to talk to his opponents in the government only if the agenda is holding the elections. “We have said always that one thing we are willing to talk about is elections. We are willing to talk about the modalities, the day, everything about election, of course. But then what else is there to talk about? I mean, right now, the only issue in Pakistan is of elections.”
PTI moved SC for KP elections
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Thursday moved the Supreme Court (SC) against Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Governor Haji Ghulam Ali’s decision for setting October 8 as a polling date for KP elections.
The petition stated that “at the outset it is submitted that governor KPK has not appointed the date as mandated by the Constitution”, adding that the “Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has no jurisdiction or power to amend the Constitution and decide to hold the elections to the Provincial Assembly of KP or to any other assembly beyond the period of 90 days (from the date of dissolution of assembly) as mandated by the Constitution”.
The PTI further maintained in the petition that the ECP is a body that is bound to obey and implement the judgments of the apex court and has no power or jurisdiction to overrule or review the same.
The petition added that “under the Constitution, there is no provision in which an unelected and selected caretaker government can continue to operate for more than a period of 90 days”.
“The reasons given by the governor as well [the] ECP that the finances are not available or that law-and-order situation in the country is not conducive to hold the elections is, with respect, legally flawed and a disingenuous excuse to delay the elections,” added the petition.
The party requested the court to set aside the KP governor’s “impugned letter” as unlawful and direct the electoral watchdog in the circumstances of this case to hold KP polls not later than 90 days subject to the barest minimum to that timeframe.
It argued that the governor was not implementing March 1 order announced by the top court, adding that the governor had made announcement for elections on media but he later backtracked. Saying elections must be held within 90 days of the dissolution of the assembly, it argued that the governor had violated the court orders.
The PTI has pleaded the court to order the governor for announcement of the elections date, besides directing the provincial and federal government to provide assistance to the electoral body.