PM’s address tantamount to committing contempt of court: Wahab

Prime Minister Imran Khan’s address to the nation on Thursday was tantamount to committing contempt of court, said Adviser to the Sindh Chief Minister on Law and Environment Barrister Murtaza Wahab on Friday.

Speaking at a press conference, Wahab said the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was empowered to take action against the person who attempted to scandalise the commission.

He added that the statement of the PM was contrary to the facts and also in sheer violation of the Article 104 of the Constitution.

According to Wahab, judicial powers had been vested in the ECP in accordance with the Election Act 2017.He mentioned that the ECP had adopted a clear-cut policy to conduct the Senate polls but people who were present around the PM had been giving him wrong advices.

Wahab, who also acts as the spokesman for the Sindh government, said the PM had made an attempt to make ECP a controversial institution. He added that the Supreme Court had not ordered use of open ballots to conduct the Senate elections.

The recent statements of leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf showed that the PM did not enjoy confidence of Parliament any more, the law adviser maintained.

He said the president was empowered to advise the PM to seek vote of confidence from Parliament if the president thought the PM had lost the support of Parliament.

Wahab remarked that the Article 19 of the constitution was very much clear on the issue and accordingly, the session of the National Assembly had been convened by the president.