An ‘emergency’ meeting of the federal cabinet has been called on Sunday on whether funds should be released to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for holding the provincial elections in Punjab on May 14 or should the orders of the Supreme Court be challenged.
The emergency meeting would be held in Lahore instead of Islamabad with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the chair. Most cabinet members would participate in the deliberations through a video link.
This is an important meeting on the current issues. However, its agenda has not been circulated as yet, but sources say “significant decisions” might be taken in the huddle.
According to a source, the release of funds for the Punjab elections, President Arif Alvi’s decision to return the Supreme Court Bill, and Justice Athar Minallah’s judicial note in the elections case, which the cabinet sees grossly in favour of its stance, would come under the discussion during the meeting.
Last week, a meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad with the leaders of all coalition parties where it was decided ratify federal cabinet’s rejection of the Supreme Court’s verdict by Parliament.
News18 reported that during the meeting, the PDM leaders also exchanged views on different proposals to avert the Punjab polls on May 14. Proposals include economic emergency, extension in national assembly tenure, judicial references, that is, fight between Parliament and judiciary, and if all stakeholders agree to hold all elections on one time in the country.
PDM leaders and PM Sharif also gave important task to the legal team regarding the emergency and extension in the national assembly tenure by six months on the grounds of economic crisis.
The meeting also expressed concern over the delay in signing the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill 2023, which aims to curtail the suo motu powers of office of the chief justice of Pakistan (CJP).
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