Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Saturday filed a joint constitutional petition in the Supreme Court against the election commission’s decision of rescheduling general elections in October 2023, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Former Punjab Assembly speaker Sibtain Khan and former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly speaker Mushtaq Ghani filed the petition.

PTI Secretary General Asad Umar, Mian Mahmood-ul-Rashid and Abdul Rehman were also among the joint petitioners.

The federal, Punjab and KP government were made respondents in the petition.

The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, Ministry of Law and the federal cabinet were also made respondents in the petition.

The PTI in its joint petition pleaded with the court to annul the decision of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to change the date of general elections.

“The election commission deviated from the constitutional mandate and the judgment of the court,” the petition stated.

“The election commission should be ordered to conduct the election on April 30 as per the [previous] schedule,” it pleaded.

Earlier today, another constitutional petition was landed in Supreme Court seeking annulment of the election date announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for conducting general polls in Punjab.

The petition, filed by renegade PML-N leader Zafar Ali Shah, also sought action against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and chief election commissioner.

The petitioner prayed that ECP’s March 22 notification fixing October 8 as the date for holding elections in Punjab was in conflict with the law and a violative of the Constitution. The ECP is also going against its mandate to conduct elections within 90 days of the assembly’s dissolution.

The petition says the ECP’s move of not implementing the Supreme Court’s decision tantamount to disgrace of the apex court.

The petitioner also sought proceedings against PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, disqualify PM Shehbaz Sharif and Mohsin Naqvi and remove CEC from his post.
The petition also prays the court to order ECP to hold elections in Punjab as per April 30 schedule.
Reporter Amanat Gishkori