ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) president Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Sunday harshly criticised the judiciary for its decisions regarding elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and called for a postponement of the elections due to the country’s current economic crisis and fragile security situation.
The Maulana stated at a news conference, “Today we are told that it is a constitutional requirement to hold elections [in Punjab and KP] within 90 days, but the same Supreme Court gave Gen. Pervez Musharraf three years to hold elections.”
“Sometimes, in the eyes of the Supreme Court, holding elections every three years is a constitutional requirement, and sometimes it [Supreme Court] grants an individual the authority to amend the Constitution,” said the Maulana, who is also the head of his faction of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F).
The leader of the JUI-F expressed concern over the recent decision of the supreme court, stating that it was surprising that the judiciary took suo motu notice and believed it had completed its mission. According to him, the decision was presented as 3-2, but they believed it was 4-3.
He noted that two judges had already distanced themselves from the Supreme Court bench, deeming the notice to be unwarranted.
The Maulana invited legal experts to explain why two judges were not included in the total number of judges in the case, despite the fact that their opinions were mentioned in the verdict.
In accordance with the Supreme Court’s ruling, President Arif Alvi has set the election date for Punjab for 30 April. The governor of KP has not yet announced an election date for the province.
The leader of the JUI-F stated that the government wished to hold general elections within the constitutional timeframe. However, he stated that decisions had to be made after examining all factors, including “law and order situation, weak national exchequer, and price increase.”
The leader of the PDM lashed out at former prime minister Imran Khan, blaming him for the country’s current economic crisis. He stated that the relevant authorities were requesting Rs80 billion for ballot paper printing at a time when the state was unable to provide bread for the poor.
Concerning the rise of terrorism in the country, the JUI-F leader questioned whether the police and other institutions could provide election security.
The Ministry of Defense excused itself from providing security for the elections for the KP and Punjab assemblies and by-elections for National Assembly seats last month. Inasmuch as the judiciary was hesitant to provide its magistrates to serve as returning officers during elections.
The head of the PDM claimed that former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief retired Lt Gen Faiz Hameed and former chief justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar are still lobbying for Imran Khan, and he urged the relevant institutions to take note of their involvement.
IMF pressure
He lamented that the IMF was currently preparing Pakistan’s budget and regulating prices.
The Maulana asserted that the International Monetary Fund was deliberately causing trouble, stating, “We know why the IMF is targeting Pakistan more than any other country in the region.”
He accused the IMF of obstructing the efforts of friendly nations that wished to assist Pakistan during this difficult time.
