No funds for polls: PTI asks SC to try PM, cabinet for contempt

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Monday demanded the Supreme Court initiate contempt proceedings against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the federal cabinet for not releasing funds to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa polls.

In a tweet, PTI Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry said despite the apex court’s orders, the State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) decision to not release funds was in violation of the laws, Geo.tv reported.

“...the Supreme Court should initiate contempt of court proceedings against the prime minister and the Cabinet and fulfil their desire of getting disqualified through court orders,” the former information minister said.

Earlier, the top court had directly ordered the central bank to provide Rs21 billion to the ECP for holding the polls in the two provinces till April 17 — but despite the passage of the deadline, the funds were not released.

The top court had ordered holding the elections on May 14, but the government rejected the decision, and as the impasses till persists with Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah saying that come what may, the polls won’t be held on the date.

In the tweets, the ex-information minister also mentioned that his party was focused on negotiations with the government, but the rulers were exhibiting a “non-serious” attitude in this regard.

Fawad added that the negotiations would be held in line with the Constitution and the Supreme Court’s orders, while noting that delaying the elections would be tantamount to subverting the Constitution.

PTI has formed a three-member committee and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz has tasked two of its senior members to hold consultations with the opposition party amid the tense political situation after the Jamaat-e-Islami’s bid to bring both sides to the table.