ISLAMABAD (Staff Report) – The Islamabad High court (IHC) on Thursday rejected an appeal of federal government to issue a stay order on the recent decision of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to suspend the Prime Minister Kisan Package.
In September Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had announced a Rs 341 billion relief package for famers, just weeks ahead of local bodies elections in Punjab and Sindh. The ECP suspended implementation on few parts of the package till December 3, terming it an attempt to influence the scheduled polls.
The federal government later moved the high court against the ECP decision to suspend the farmer’s package, saying it was not announced to influence voters in the local bodies’ elections. It further said that the package was suspended by the ECP without hearing the stance of the Finance Ministry and the Planning Division.
The federal government claimed that the ECP cannot stop it from fulfilling its constitutional and legal responsibilities and that this package is not related to the local bodies’ elections in Sindh, Punjab and Islamabad.
The government petition had asked the high court to declare the ECP’s suspension null and void and for a stay order be issued.
