Islamabad [Pakistan]Dec. 31 (ANI): Pakistan Justice Instigation (PTI) on Saturday said the Election Commission’s failure to conduct polls in Islamabad’s local body was an “open defiance” of the court’s Friday order, the Express Tribune reported. .
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold Islamabad local government elections on Saturday. The federal government was asked to assist election watchdogs with the vote.
Despite a court order, the ECP has been unable to start voting for Islamabad’s local body elections.
“Following the developments, senior PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said voters in Islamabad stood outside polling stations, but elections were ‘stopped’ despite a clear order from the court,” said a report in Tribune Express.
According to the same report, Choudhury further stated that the government is using its “puppet election commissioner” to mock the people and the Constitution.
He said the court should enforce its decision and should act in contempt of court.
PTI central secretary-general Asad Umar called for tough action against the ECP. He said the electoral body was acting in contempt of court.
In a video message on Twitter, Omar said his party workers had been outside polling stations since morning. However, the ECP men did not arrive. “Importing governments are afraid of the people,” he said.
The Islamabad High Court on Friday directed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold local government elections in Islamabad on December 31 and set aside its notice to postpone the poll, Dawn reported.
“The verdict was delivered by IHC Judge Arbab Muhammad Tahir, who is hearing the same petition filed by PTI and Jamaat-i-Islami on the ECP decision announced earlier this week,” the report said.
In an order issued on Friday, the Islamabad High Court quashed the ECP’s order issued on December 27.
“The Election Commission of Pakistan is directed to conduct local government elections in the Islamabad Capital Territory in accordance with the announced schedule, which is December 31, 2022,” the IHC order read.
“The court order also directs the federal government to provide comprehensive assistance to electoral bodies to conduct elections to local bodies in accordance with the constitutional mandate,” Dawn reported.
The report further stated, “On Tuesday, the ECP postponed the vote ‘temporarily at the last minute’, frustrating thousands of campaigners and their supporters.” (Arney)
(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from a Syndicated News feed, the content body may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)