Imran Khan's PTI calls election body's failure to conduct polls contempt of court
Dec 31, 2022
Islamabad [Pakistan], December 31 : The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday called the election commission's failure to conduct the Islamabad local body polls an 'open contempt' of the court's Friday order, reported The Express Tribune.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) had on Friday ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to conduct Islamabad local government elections on Saturday. The federal government was asked to assist the electoral watchdog in holding the polls.
The ECP, despite the court order, was unable to start polling for the local body elections in Islamabad.
"Following the development, PTI senior leader Fawad Chaudhry said that the voters in Islamabad are standing outside the polling station but the elections have been 'stopped' despite clear orders from the court," according to a report in The Express Tribune.
According to the same report, Chaudhry further said that the government is mocking the people and the Constitution with its "puppet election commissioner".
He said that the court should implement its decision and that contempt of court action should be taken.
Asad Umar, PTI's central Secretary General, demanded strict action against the ECP. He said that the election body's action was contempt of court.
Umar in a video message on Twitter said that since morning, his party workers were present outside polling stations. However, no one from the ECP arrived. He said that the "imported government is afraid of the people.
The Islamabad High Court on Friday directed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold local government elections in Islamabad on December 31 and set aside its notification on the postponement of the polls, the Dawn reported.
The report said, "The verdict was pronounced by IHC Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, who was hearing identical petitions filed by the PTI and the Jamaat-i-Islami against the ECP's decision announced earlier this week."
The Islamabad High Court, in an order issued on Friday, set aside ECP's order dated December 27.
"The Election Commission of Pakistan is directed to hold the local government elections in the Islamabad Capital Territory as per the schedule already announced i.e. on 31.12.2022," the IHC order read.
"The court order also directed the federal government to provide complete assistance to the electoral body for conducting the local bodies' elections as mandated by the Constitution," the Dawn reported.
The report further stated, "On Tuesday, the ECP had postponed the polls 'for the time being at the last minute, frustrating thousands of contestants and their supporters."
