- Bilawal wants provision of “level playing field” for all political parties.
- The restoration of the judiciary is said to have affected judiciary-parliament relations.
- “The judiciary became a partisan actor with clear favorites in the 2013 elections.”
Despite the Supreme Court ruling out the possibility of holding general elections within the 90-day period defined by the Constitution, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari reiterated his demand for mid-term elections, saying that delaying the elections would be unacceptable. Is. Them.
Addressing the celebration of the golden jubilee of the Constitution of Pakistan at an event organized by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) on Monday, Bilawal said, “Delaying the election is like depriving the election.”
Former Foreign Minister Bilawal once again demanded provision of election schedule and “level playing field” for all political parties.
Recalling the 2009 lawyers’ agitation for restoration of the judiciary, he said it was a significant event in the history of Pakistan’s judiciary which had a deep impact on the relationship between the judiciary and Parliament.
Without naming him, Bilawal quoted Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, a prominent lawyer and member of the movement for the restoration of former Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), as saying that “the restoration of the judiciary took place in 2009 as a result of public pressure.” The judges are suffering from ego and the bar is suffering from violence.
The former minister further said that in the 2013 general elections, the judiciary under Chaudhary’s leadership became a partisan actor with clear favorites in the elections and the same happened in the 2018 elections.
“Hopefully it will be different this time,” he said.
Bilawal said his party has been demanding the election date and schedule since the end of the Parliament term, but to no avail.
He said that despite his famous opinion on elections in 90 days, “which may now become a controversial issue”, the right of parties to hold elections is completely undisputed.
Also, earlier today, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faiz Isa said that it was “not possible” to meet the 90-day deadline for holding elections and lamented the lack of preparedness of the petitioners.
The top judge made the remarks while hearing petitions seeking timely elections within 90 days of the dissolution of the assemblies. The CJP is leading a three-member bench on the case, comprising him, Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Amin-ud-din Khan.
The Supreme Court Bar Association, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and others had filed petitions to ensure that elections in the country are held within the stipulated time period.
