In complete disregard to the order of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, Federal Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah said that elections for the provincial assembly of Punjab will not be held on May 14 despite “all-out efforts” of the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
Rana Sanaullah’s statement came after the former ruling PTI formed a three-member committee to hold political dialogue with the Jamat-e-Islami (JI).
Speaking to the media in Faisalabad, the minister stressed that elections will be held simultaneously across the country on their scheduled date later this year.
On April 4, the Supreme Court ruled that the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to postpone polls to the Punjab Assembly till Oct 8 was “unconstitutional” and fixed May 14 as the date for polls in the province.
The ECP had on March 22 announced that the elections in Punjab would be held on October 8. The date was earlier set on April 30, in consultation with the president.
In its verdict, the apex court had ordered the federal government to release election funds worth Rs21 billion to the ECP by April 10 for elections to the assemblies of Punjab and KP.
When the electoral watchdog didn’t receive the required funds on the given date, the SC summoned top authorities, including the governor of the State Bank, to release funds.
On Friday last week, the apex court ordered the SBP to release by Monday Rs21 billion from Account No. I — a principal component of the Federal Consolidated Fund (FCF) worth Rs1.39 trillion — for holding much-delayed elections to the provincial assemblies of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Speaking about the disbursement of funds, Rana Sanaullah categorically cautioned the SBP officials against disbursing funds for the ECP for holding the polls, indicating that the money would be ‘recovered’ from whoever authorises the payment.
