The National Assembly of Pakistan recently passed a resolution that binds the Prime Minister and the cabinet not to implement the Supreme Court’s verdict on the conduct of the upcoming Punjab province local government elections. The resolution was passed by the ruling party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which enjoys a majority in the National Assembly.
The Supreme Court had ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to conduct the local government elections in Punjab province by May 31, 2022. However, the PTI-led government challenged the verdict, arguing that it would not be possible to hold the polls in such a short time frame due to administrative and logistical constraints.
The resolution passed by the National Assembly stated that the government was committed to holding the local government elections in Punjab province in a transparent and fair manner, but it would not be possible to meet the deadline set by the Supreme Court. The resolution further stated that the Prime Minister and the cabinet were bound not to implement the court’s verdict, and instead, a new timeline for the polls would be announced soon.
The resolution has sparked controversy, with opposition parties accusing the government of undermining the authority of the Supreme Court and violating the Constitution. The opposition parties have also announced that they will challenge the resolution in court.