SC reserves verdict on suo motu notice case regarding elections in Punjab & KP

ISLAMABAD (92 News) - The Supreme Court on Tuesday reserved the verdict on the suo motu notice case regarding the elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The court had given the counsels time to get instructions from their political parties. However, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and the Jamiat Ulema Islam (JUI) refused to give the date for the elections.

Farooq H Naik, counsel for the PDM, contended that President Arif Alvi had given the date for the elections without advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, which is violation of the constitution. "The President had not even consulted the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP)," he stated.

Justice Muneeb Akhtar remarked that the elections are mandatory if the assembly completes its term. "The President can return the advice after 14 days," he observed.

Counsels for other parties as well as President Arif Alvi presented the arguments.