SC warns of intervention against malicious intent in holding ‘transparent’ polls in KP, Punjab

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The tribunal argued the court had mandated it in Workers Party of Pakistan v. Federation of Pakistan to take pre-emptive measures against corrupt practices or any possibility of them, so that elections could be conducted in accordance with the law.

During the hearing Wednesday, the petitioner withdrew the plea, and the court disposed of the case.

Umar Ata Bandial, the chief justice, observed the interim government of Mohsin Naqvi in Punjab is making transfers with the permission of the commission. He further added that the ECP has the authority to give transfer orders to the administration, but it should not give them a free hand in making transfers as it is important for all political parties to have a level playing field during elections.

Bandial clarified that the Supreme Court’s remarks are often misinterpreted, citing an example where Parliament misinterpreted their statement about an “honest prime minister” in 1988, referring to Muhammad Khan Junejo. Bandial also expressed concern the Supreme Court was being “maligned” through leaked audio tapes against judges.

“The Supreme Court is a constitutional institution which is being maligned through [secretly recorded] audio tapes,” said the judge. He emphasised that the court will work patiently to protect the institution from such defamation.

He also dismissed the leaked tapes defaming constitutional institutions as insignificant and added that it was unfortunate that false allegations had been made against the judges.

The CJP questioned the authenticity of the audio and video tapes and expressed the Supreme Court’s leniency in handling such matters. dogar’s transfer as ccpo Lahore:

Dogar, a BS-21 officer, was initially recalled by the federal government in September 2022. The seemingly surprising move came after the Lahore police had booked two PML-N ministers, as well as two senior officials of state-run PTV, on terrorism charges for allegedly “fanning religious hatred” against former premier Imran Khan and “endangering his life”.

However, the then-Punjab CM Ch Pervaiz Elahi had stopped Dogar from relinquishing the charge, saying the federal government can neither remove nor transfer him. Dogar was also famously filmed meeting then chief minister Parvez Elahi deferentially after defying the Centre’s orders to report to the federal government. Following a back-and-forth, the federal government suspended him in early November for apparently not ensuring the security of the Governor House during a violent protest by PTI workers against the assassination attempt on Imran during his party’s long march.

Hattiyaan and Haveili districts. In Mirpur district, the grand national flag unfurling ceremony will take place on Thursday morning at the lawn of Mirpur Municipal Corporation. Mirpur Division Commissioner Shaukat Chaudhry will hoist the flags of Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir in a colourful ceremony.

A well-uniformed contingent of AJK Police will present a salute to the national flags of Pakistan and AJK.

On this occasion, the people of Azad Kashmir and Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir will simultaneously pray for the stability, security, affluence, and swift progress of Pakistan, as well as the early success of the Kashmiri freedom struggle.

He was then reinstated as the Lahore CCPO as per a Supreme Court directive issued on Dec 2, 2022.

Dogar had been appointed as the head of the joint investigation team (JIT) probing the Wazirabad attack on Imran. In early January, he had proposed departmental action against four senior members of the panel after they said there was no proof that there were multiple shooters, despite the PTI’s assertions.

He had also proposed action against two other senior police officers, including Gujrat District Police Officer Syed Ghazanfar Ali Shah and a Counter Terrorism Department senior superintendent of police — who was not part of the probe team — for allegedly recording a video statement of the prime suspect arrested from the attack spot and leaking it to the media.

Dogar’s allegations had followed a letter the four members had written to him, expressing reservations over the way he had been trying to influence the investigation process.

Then on Jan 23, the newly installed caretaker Punjab government replaced Dogar with Bilal Siddique Kamyana as the new CCPO.

No More Hunger - Let's Unite to End Food Insecurity on Pakistan Day!

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ECP puts off Punjab elections till October amid ‘security threats’

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Unity Foods is committed to ensuring that every citizen has access to the basic necessities of life. The program's success relies on the collaboration and support of valued customers, esteemed partners, and dedicated employees who have supported the company's mission to build a sustainable future for all Pakistanis.

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In a mammoth public gathering in November last year, former prime minister Imran Khan had announced that his party would disassociate itself from the “current corrupt political system” by quitting the two provincial assemblies where PTI was in power. Despite several obstacles put up by the coalition government, the Punjab and KP assemblies were dissolved on Jan 14 and Jan 18, respectively. Under the law, the elections are to be held within 90 days after the dissolution of assemblies. That means April 14 and April 17 were the deadlines for holding general elections to Punjab and KP assemblies, but the two governors instead of setting dates for elections after receiving the proposal from the ECP had advised the commission to consult stakeholders. LegaL experts, activists equate postponement to vioLation of constitution: Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan said that the postponement of the election was such a gruesome violation of the Constitution which could provide the basis for martial law in the country. He said that those who would violate the Constitution would be dealt under Article 6 of the Constitution. “This would be [Justice] ‘Munir moment’ for any judge who would condone this act. The CJP can rise to the occasion and it could be [Justice] Bandial moment,” he told a TV talk show. He argued that if there is no government after 90 days in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces which constitute 70 percent of Pakistan .. because the caretaker governments will have no power and they would have to go home. He asserted that if this postponement was accepted, the Chief Election Commissioner would have the nod to do any illegal act in the future under article 254. Barrister Ahmed Pansota said that the decision to withdraw the election schedule and delaying the date of general elections in Punjab by the ECP was in gross violation of the Constitution of Pakistan, 1973 along-with the Supreme Court’s Judgment on the subject. “Article 218(3) doesn’t empower the ECP to do so,” he added. Fawad Chaudhry said that the Constitution and Supreme Court of Pakistan had been demolished by subjugation of the Constitution and now the country had no constitution to be followed. Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar posted a tweet, stating, “Delaying of the elections by the ECP is a blatant mockery of the constitution. ECP surely has decided this on the wishes of the govt and the establishment which are terrified of the polls. With already a tarnished reputation sadly ECP now has no credibility left”. Global Public Policy activist Mosharraf Zaidi wrote, “This is a deliberate and malafide violation of the Constitution. A timely, free and fair election remains the only legal way forward. Those behind this manoeuvre will not hesitate to postpone the general election either. This is a formula for further disarray,” he added.

‘voLatiLe Law, order briefs Led ecp to postponement’: Chief secretaries and inspectorsgeneral of the two provinces during meetings with the ECP had said they were short of police force and talked of terrorism threats, making out a case for putting off elections. The finance division had also expressed its inability to provide funds and the interior ministry told the ECP that the army and civil armed forces will not be available.