Punjab Governor Baligh-ur-Rehman on Saturday said that the election commission could not give a satisfactory answer to his questions. “I have pleaded to the court to interpret its decision on election,” Governor Baligh-ur-Rehman said while talking to media in Sahiwal.”
The election date can be announced after the court’s interpretation,” he said. “I hadn’t signed the summary for dissolution of the provincial legislature thus I am not entitled to give the election date,” the governor argued. “My announcement of election date will be unconstitutional,” Punjab governor argued. Recently Shahzad Shaukat Advocate filed a petition on behalf of Governor Baligh-ur-Rehman seeking interpretation of the court’s decision.
“The bench has ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to consult with the governor over the election date”, petitioner said. “The governor hadn’t signed the summary for dissolution of the provincial assembly,” he pleaded. It was worth mentioned here that Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman had earlier sought clarity on the Lahore High Court (LHC) order about holding general elections in the province.
On February 10, LHC Justice Jawad Hassan had ordered the ECP to hold elections in the province within 90 days of the dissolution of the provincial assembly on a petition filed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The Punjab Assembly was dissolved last month.
The meeting at the Governor House remained inconclusive as the participants could not agree on a date for the general elections in Punjab. However, it was decided that the governor would approach the LHC for interpretation of its February 10 decision.
The governor would seek clarification regarding the legal scope of the single bench’s decision and how the decision regarding the election date was applicable to his office. He stressed that the LHC decision was open to interpretation and that he would take the legal route on the matter.—INP
