Govt calls on CJP to review election ruling.

ISLAMABAD -- The government on Wednesday pleaded with Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial to 'review' the March 1 ruling regarding holding of elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, warning that split polls would further deepen political crisis and create chaos in the country.

The request was made by Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah during a policy statement delivered at a hurriedly-called and low-attended joint sitting of parliament, hours before the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) formally announced the postponement of the April 30 elections in Punjab.

While pleading his case, the minister gave a couple of references from the history when previously elections were delayed for more than constitutionally-mandated 90 days, besides asking the judiciary to improve its public image in the wake of recently released controversial audio leaks purportedly containing some serving and retired judges talking to various persons on corruption cases and some administrative matters.

The interior minister recalled that the 1988 elections were delayed by five to six months due to floods in the country whereas again in 2008, the general elections were put on hold following the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

On March 1, the five-judge bench of the Supreme Court had declared through a majority decision that elections to the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies should be held within the stipulated period of 90 days. It had, however, allowed the ECP to propose a poll date deviating from the 90-day deadline by the 'barest minimum', in case of any practical difficulty.

Taking advantage of the one-sided proceedings in the absence of a meaningful opposition, the minister lashed out at Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan for allegedly making an attempt to create a 'political and administrative' chaos in the country.

While referring to recent clashes between the PTI supporters and police in Lahore and Islamabad, the minister accused the cricketer-turned-politician of wanting 'bloodshed' in the country to advance his political agenda.

After the minister's nearly an hour long speech, the lawmakers belonging to the ruling coalition parties as well as the opposition expressed their serious concerns over the prevailing political and economic crises in the country and asked the government to respond positively to Imran Khan who had reportedly shown his willingness to sit with his...