ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Friday sought a compliance report from the Finance Ministry on the release of Rs 21 billion funds for holding general elections to the provincial assemblies of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
Pursuant to its order issued on April 19, the Supreme Court issued a notice to the Ministry of Finance through its Registrar’s Office seeking a compliance report on the release of Rs 21 billion for the elections to the Punjab and KP Assemblies.
It should be noted that on April 19, a three-member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice Umar Atta Bandial, comprising Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan and Justice Muneeb Akhtar, declared the Defense Ministry’s request inadmissible. He directed the government to ensure the release of Rs 21 billion funds to the Election Commission of Pakistan by April 27 for holding the general elections of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assemblies. Make
The court had directed that appropriate remedial measures should be fully taken before April 27, 2023, and specifically, by that date, an amount of Rs 21 billion should be provided to the Election Commission in immediately available and receivable funds for conducting the elections. To be done. General Elections of Punjab and KPK Assemblies.
The court said in its order that disobedience and violation of court orders can have serious consequences.
The Ministry of Defense had filed a petition in the Supreme Court to hold elections on the same date across the country.
The Defense Ministry’s stand was in line with that of the federal government, which has consistently opposed holding separate general elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). The petition said that the term of the legislature of the National Assembly and two other provinces of Sindh and Balochistan would end at the end of this year and the federal government wanted the elections to be held not in May, as directed by the Supreme Court. On April 4, the ministry requested the Supreme Court to recall its order on April 4 ordering Punjab to hold elections on May 14. And all the Provincial Assemblies shall be held together, on the completion of the term of the National and the other two Provincial Assemblies, viz., Sindh and Balochistan. Meanwhile, the Election Commission on Friday also told the Supreme Court that it is yet to receive funds for conducting elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
