ISLAMABAD – The National Assembly on Thursday adopted a resolution opposing the Supreme Court’s ruling in the Punjab elections delay case.
The ECP’s decision to push back the elections in the province from April 30 to October 8 was overturned by the top court on April 4, declaring the action to be “unconstitutional, without lawful authority or jurisdiction, invalid, [and] of no legal consequence.”
Addressing the meeting of the PDM alliance, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said a mockery of the Constitution and law is being made as he raised questions over the ruling that further aggravated the existing legal and political crises.
Sharif said that such action with the Constitution had never been witnessed before. He also directed all lawmakers to ensure their attendance during the NA session.
The National Assembly echoed that sentiment today when it voted a resolution rejecting the Supreme Court’s decision from April 4 and encouraged the prime minister to disregard it.
Legislator Khalid Magsi of the Balochistan Awami Party proposed the motion, which was then read out on the chamber’s floor.
Magsi read out the resolution, saying, “This house rejects the minority judgement of the three-member bench and binds the prime minister and the cabinet not to follow the illegal and unlawful decision.”
It stated that the house believes the only way to solve every issue is to hold general elections simultaneously across the nation. It was underlined that this followed the legal and constitutionally mandated process for maintaining political and economic stability.
Shortly after the resolution was adopted, the prime minister departed the meeting after only a brief appearance.
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