Move to delay elections finds little support.

ISLAMABAD -- A day after the Election Commission postponed elections till October on the pretext of security, a number of lawyers, civil society activists, and politicians condemned the move which was termed 'violative of the Constitution'.

In spite of criticism from all quarters, the government spokesperson endorsed the decision which was apparently taken in the 'national interest'.

In a statement shared by state-run APP, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said the election watchdog decided to postpone the polls to avert a 'constitutional crisis' and claimed that the delay in elections would bring political stability.

Ms Aurangzeb said there were reservations among stakeholders that elections could not be 'forced' on Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to appease 'one person's ego' and added that phase-wise polls would have created another controversy. She also referred to the census and said that it was not possible to hold elections in two provinces before the census and the rest of the country after the census.

'Not convincing'

The rationale put forth by the minister, however, did not find many backers.

PBC summons meeting on Monday to take stock of 'murky' political situation

Supreme Court lawyer Zahid F. Ebrahim tweeted that in spite of a sound argument that elections should be held across the country on the same day, the justification and decision of the ECP to postpone elections for Punjab is unconvincing.

In a tweet, lawyer Reema Omer said, 'ECP interpretation of SC's 'barest minimum' deviation as permission to postpone Punjab Assembly elections by 5-6 months, and its cynical use of Article 254 to justify defiance of a clear constitutional stipulation are both legally flawed and disingenuous.' Ms Omer said the decision would lead to further polarity.

Barrister Asad Rahim Khan termed the decision 'violative of the Constitution, a mockery of the law, and contemptuous of the Supreme Court'. 'It is also destructive for democracy. This goes beyond voting preferences now: the principle - of the freedom to elect one's representatives - is at stake,' he tweeted.

Another lawyer, Muhammad Ahmad Pansota sought suo moto action over the move to delay polls in an 'illegal and unconstitutional' move.

PTI leader Shireen Mazari said she was not 'surprised' by the decision to delay polls since the ECP was acting to keep the 'conspirators' in power. In a tweet, former KP finance minister Taimur Iqbal Jhagra said, 'The IMF has again contradicted the...

To continue reading

Request your trial

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT