ISLAMABAD: The top court was on Wednesday approached for overthrowing Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif and Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja over failing to release grant for the Punjab election.
Zahoor Mehdi filed a plea in the court wherein he nominated PM Shehbaz, CEC Sultan, President Dr Arif Alvi, and Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Molana Fazlur Rehman as respondents.
The plea stated that the PM had lost the confidence of the parliament after the NA’s standing committee rejected the bill seeking the approval of supplementary grant for holding Punjab polls, and CEC Raja’s demand for funds and security was not suitable. “The PM and the CEC are united over the issue of the election,” the plea added.
The plea also requested the court to appoint a caretaker PM and a caretaker CEC, order the release of RS21 billion in funds for the election, and hold the election without the Army and Rangers.
On April 5, the apex court had ordered the ECP to hold elections in Punjab on May 14 and directed the federal government to release Rs21 billion in funds for holding elections until April 10, after the PTI moved the SC against delay in elections. The court subsequently ordered the ECP to present a report in this regard on April 11.
However, the federal government failed to comply with the order which resulted in the non-provision of funds to the ECP. As the ECP apprised the court of non-provision of funds, the court expressed resentment and issued notices to top government officials including Attorny General for Pakistan Mansoor Awan and State Bank of Pakistan Governor Jameel Ahmad.
On April 10, the Centre decided to take the matter of allocation of funds to parliament, and finance minister Ishaq Dar tabled the bill seeking approval of grant for holding elections.
