Pakistan

PHC seeks written replies from governor, ECP on KP polls

Published

1 year ago

Farwa

Two-member bench hears PTI’s plea seeking election date for KP Assembly.
Chief secretary submits reply in court.
Court directs governor, ECP to submit reply by Thursday.

The Peshawar High Court (PHC) sought on Tuesday written responses from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Haji Ghulam Ali regarding the date for general elections in the province.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Justice Syed Muhammad Attique Shah heard the petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) seeking a date for the polls in the KP Assembly.

PTI leaders Azam Swati, Asad Qaiser, Shibli Faraz and Shah Farman also appeared in the court. The PTI had submitted a petition to the court stating that the elections must be held within 90 days after the dissolution of the assembly.

During the hearing, the court asked why the governor has not yet given a date for the elections.

At this, the KP’s advocate general said that the governor still has time to give a date for elections as per the Constitution, adding that the chief secretary has submitted a reply today.

To this, Justice Ali ordered Governor Ali to submit a written reply by Thursday in response to the letter sent to him by the electoral body seeking a date for the polls.

The high court then asked what will be the future course of action if the ECP does not get the date today.

PTI’s lawyer said that the governor is not giving the date and is only making excuses.

The court after issuing the notices adjourned the hearing till Thursday.

ECP seeks election date

The ECP had sent a letter to the provincial governor, proposing dates for the assembly elections between April 14 to 17. However, Governor Ali informed the electoral body that it should give the dates for the elections itself in consultation with all stakeholders while keeping in view the prevailing security and economic conditions of the country.

The KP governor advised the ECP to “consult and take into confidence” political parties and law-enforcement agencies (LEAs) before fixing a date for the polls.

“In view of the alarming law and order situation in the province and series of terrorist attacks during the past days, it would be advisable that before fixing a date for the general elections, the Election Commission of Pakistan should consult and take into confidence the relevant institutions/LEAs as well as political parties, to ensure conduct of general elections in a fair, free and peaceful manner in the province,” said the governor in a letter he sent to Chief Election Commissioner Sikander Sultan Raja.

The governor was of the view that the law and order situation was worsening in KP and hinted at delaying the polls.

The governor had said: “400 tribal elders have requested him that elections should be held after three to four months.”

“If a province demands to conduct census first or intelligence agencies advise to postpone elections then how will the elections be held?” he added.

Referring to the terror attacks on police and rising terrorism in the province, the governor had asked if elections could be held in Waziristan, Bannu and Lakki Marwat.

He also added that the law and order issue should be addressed ahead of the provincial polls.

Latest News

Lahore, PP-161: LHC deems the ECP recounting order null and invalid

Published

2 days ago

Farwa

Farrukh Javed, the victorious candidate, filed a petition against the Election Commission of Pakistan’s order to recount the votes in PP-161 before a single bench of the high court, led by Justice Shahid Karim, was formed.

The bench dismissed the ECP’s order to recount the votes in the constituency and accepted the petition.

The PML-N candidate Umar Sohail filed a petition for a vote recount with the electoral commission, according to Unmute Farrukh Javed MPA’s court plea.

Per the petitioner, the electoral commission issued a notice of vote recount after granting the second-place candidate’s request.

In his view, the election process was not yet over when the ECP issued the order for a vote recount.

The ECP’s order for the recounting of ballots in provincial constituency PP-161 was revoked by the bench after it allowed the petition.

Latest News

The LHC has issued a summons regarding the policy on wheat procurement.

Published

2 days ago

Farwa

The court was considering a petition filed by the Punjab farmers challenging the province government’s decision to decline purchasing wheat from them.

The petitioner alleged that the government is legally obligated to procure wheat from farmers at the designated price and had publicised a policy to purchase wheat from farmers at Rs 3,900 per maund. However, the government has failed to put this policy into effect.

The Punjab government was scheduled to commence the procurement of wheat from farmers on April 22. However, there has been no progress thus far in the wheat purchase, thereby exposing farmers to the risk of selling their harvests at reduced prices as a result of rainfall.

The petitioner implored the court to mandate the government’s procurement of wheat from farmers and to initiate measures against the mafia.

Punjab farmers have filed a petition with the Lahore High Court (LHC) to challenge the government’s decision to not purchase their wheat.

Following an initial hearing on the case, Justice Shahid Karim, the judge of the LHC, requested a documentation of the Punjab government’s choices pertaining to wheat purchase.

Punjab’s farmers are currently protesting the government’s decision to postpone the purchase of wheat from them.

Yesterday, insiders from the Food Department disclosed that the Punjab government has not yet made a decision regarding the procurement of wheat.

Latest News

Lahore experiences a winter-like ambiance following rainfall.

Published

2 days ago

Farwa

Lahore’s maximum temperature has significantly decreased due to recent rainfall in the province capital over the past 24 hours.

Jail Road saw a rainfall of 8.5 millimeters, Gulberg received 10 millimeters, and Lakshmi Chowk received 14 millimeters of rainfall. In addition, Upper Mall received a rainfall measurement of 5 millimeters, Mughalpura received 3.5 millimeters, and Tajpura received 3 millimeters.

In addition, Nishtar Town received a rainfall of 1 millimeter, Pani Wala Talab received 12 millimeters, Farukh Abad received 4 millimeters, Gulshan Ravi received 20 millimeters, Iqbal Town received 6 millimeters, Samanabad received 8 millimeters, and Johar Town received 1 millimeter.

The city’s electricity transmission infrastructure has been significantly affected by the rain, resulting in the tripping of over 100 Lesco feeders. Multiple localities had power outages as a result of tripped feeders and other technical malfunctions.

Power outages have resulted in substantial discomfort for people in several localities, including as Manawan, Batapur, Sabzazar, Gulshan Ravi, Samanabad, Pir Nasir, Mughalpura, Shalimar, Mustafa Abad, Baghbanpura, Ferozpur Road, Islampura, Qila Gujjar Singh, and Walton Road.