Fazl rejects SC verdict on Punjab, KP elections issue.

ISLAMABAD -- Pakistan DemocraAtic Movement (PDM) president Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Sunday severely criticised the judiciary for its decisions regarding elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and called for postponement of the elections owing to the prevailing economic crisis and fragile security situation in the country.

'Today we are asked that it is a Constitution's requirement to hold elections [in Punjab and KP] within 90 days, but the same Supreme Court had given Gen Pervez Musharraf three years' time to hold polls,' said the Maulana at a news conference.

'Sometimes, in the eyes of the Supreme Court, holding polls in three years is a constitutional requirement and sometimes it [Supreme Court] gives authority to an individual to make amendments to the Constitution,' said the Maulana, who is also chief of his own faction of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F).

Voicing concern over the recent judgement of the apex court, the JUI-F chief said it was surprising that the judiciary took suo motu notice and thought it had done its job. He said it was presented as a 3-2 decision but they believed that it was a 4-3 decision.

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He pointed out that two judges had already distanced themselves from the SC bench terming the suo motu notice uncalled-for.

The Maulana invited legal experts to give their opinion that why two judges were not being considered in the total count of judges in the case despite their point of view had a mention in the verdict.

In line with the judgement of the Supreme Court, President Arif Alvi has announced April 30 as the date for the elections in Punjab. The KP governor is yet to announce a date for elections in the province.

The JUI-F chief said the government wanted to hold general elections within the time frame provided in the Constitution. However, he said they had to make decisions after reviewing all the aspects, including 'law...