It’s criminal if state machinery used in CM’s election: Supreme Court

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court said Thursday it could not make a contempt case on assumptions and sought specific evidence to prove the allegations that the Punjab government was offering bribe to PTI and PMLQ MPAs.

A division bench of the Supreme Court was hearing a contempt petition against interior minister. Justice Ijazul Ahsen said that it would be a criminal offence if the state machinery was used to sabotage the election of Punjab chief minister and it would be a contempt of court.

PTI counsel Faisal Farid, while reading out the court order of July 1, 2022, submitted Hamza Shehbaz had given an undertaking to this court. He said that the Election Commission of Pakistan was not overseeing the election of Punjab chief minister.

Justice Ahsen, however, told the counsel that the paragraph he was reading out related to the by-elections held on July 17. The counsel replied the recent statement of the interior minister had greatly disturbed the environment.

“You have to tell us where the law and order of this court has been violated,” the judge further asked, adding that the court has not “closed its eyes if its order is violated.” The counsel alleged that PMLN worker Raheela through Ata Tarar had contacted three PTI MPAs and offered them Rs250 million.

When the judge asked about the original affidavit to which Faisal Fareed replied that the original affidavit was in Lahore. Justice Ijazul Ahsen observed that petitioner Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi did not file a contempt plea against Raheela and Ata Tarar.

Faisal Fareed also drew the court’s attention towards non-issuance of the notification by the ECP on their winning candidates in the by-elections. “If the ECP fails to do so, you can approach this court,” Justice Ahsen told the counsel.

Justice Muneeb Akhtar, however, said that the court in its order of July 1 had ordered Hamza Shehbaz to ensure election in a transparent manner, adding that Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah was not a part of Hamza Shehbaz’s cabinet. Meanwhile, the court adjourned for date-in-office (indefinite period).