“Don’t make a joke of court orders” Fawad slams ECP

Fawad Chaudhry, a senior leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), criticized the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for disobeying court orders and failing to hold a meeting on the Punjab general elections today (Sunday).

Fawad said: “The Election Commission should have held a meeting today for the polls, don’t make a joke of the Constitution and court orders.”

Further criticising the commission, Fawad claimed that the “general impression” is that since the ECP is made up of “Munshis” ( clerks or personal assistants), it will not hold provincial elections like it did in Islamabad.

“This fiddling with the Constitution will cost the country dearly,” warned the former information minister.

Fawad told the ECP that the Constitution is the only agreed document, and if that is also “trampled, then the state of Pakistan will be in serious danger”.

“Enough is enough, our movement for the supremacy of the Constitution is ready. This movement will start with Jail Bharo [movement] and will continue till the restoration of the Constitution,” said the PTI leader.

The Lahore High Court’s (LHC) decision to hold elections in Punjab in 90 days has reportedly prompted the ECP to call a special meeting for Monday. According to a brief statement released by the commission, a special meeting has been called at its secretariat in light of the LHC decision to hold elections in Punjab. According to the statement, the upcoming course of action and implementation would be discussed in light of the court’s ruling. Elections in Punjab must be held by LHC’s order within 90 days. The LHC had instructed the ECP to make sure that elections in Punjab were held within 90 days on Friday. Justice Jawad Hassan accepted the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s(PTI)argument and requested the electoral body before announcing the reserved verdict.