PTI victory in Supreme court of Pakistan, says Elahi

PTI victory in Supreme court of Pakistan, says Elahi

As the Punjab chief minister election will now take place on July 22, PML-Q leader and Punjab Assembly Speaker Pervez Elahi said on Friday that "all our requests have been met today." Meanwhile, CM Hamza Shehbaz accepted the ruling "with an open heart."

After a lengthy hearing today, the supreme court decided that the Lahore High Court's (LHC) directive to recount the votes cast in the April 16 Punjab chief minister election and hold the second round of voting if necessary would now be put into effect following the July 17 by-elections for 20 Punjab Assembly seats.

CM Hamza Shehbaz accepted the ruling "with an open heart."

The PTI, PML-Q, and the Punjabi administration came to an agreement on the choice.

Elahi, who is running against PML-Hamza N's for the position of Punjab's chief executive, praised the top court's decision in a statement to the media following the hearing. "Today, a wise decision was made that satisfies all of our requirements.

He said, "Even the Chief Justice recognized that a compromise was arrived at peacefully.

The PML-Q leader gave a media briefing on the judgment and stated that the court-ordered there will be no "use of police" or "victimization" during the elections on July 22. Everything will proceed in accordance with the assembly's norms.

Elahi declared that the election will take place in the assembly and said that it was his duty to see that the house rules and election code of conduct were adhered to.

A "victory for democracy and the Constitution," he added, was the verdict.

In the event of a run-off election, I wouldn't participate: Hamza

Separately, in a media interview, Hamza stated that he had "openly" accepted the SC's ruling.

He recalled that over the previous three months, Punjab had experienced a constitutional crisis.

"First the oath-taking was put off, then the elections. We went two months without a cabinet.

As a political science student, Hamza added, "I think Punjab can receive an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records for the number of crises it has faced in the previous three months."

He said at the hearing today that "I testified in court that I am a democratic individual who has fought for 17 years. I assured the honorable chief justice that I wouldn't even be standing here if I didn't have enough votes to go to the run-off election. I was going to return home."

Hamza stated, "I advised them to hold the election straight away," adding that he was fine with the SC's ruling since "I have nothing to conceal."

Hamza went on to say that the party that the electorate picked should be given the province's charge at the by-elections on July 17. "Even on that day, I will accept whatever the people decide."

 

However, he expressed confidence that the country will demonstrate its support for PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during the by-elections since they had seen who was doing it in the interests of the people.

The PTI position is accepted by the SC ruling: Umar

Asad Umar, a prominent PTI politician, and former finance minister applauded the Supreme Court's ruling on July 22 ordering the re-election of the Punjab chief minister, stating it was confirmation of the PTI's position that Hamza Shehbaz "had never been an elected chief executive of the province."

Asad Umar and Fawad Chaudhry, leaders of the PTI, speak outside the SC. 

Umar said that the PTI has never acknowledged Hamza as the "legal and constitutional CM" when standing beside other prominent party figures like Fawad Chaudhry and Babar Awan.

Asad Umar

The former minister pointed out that the top court's ruling also stated that no one would be permitted to sway the by-elections for 20 seats in Punjab, scheduled for July 17 and that instructions would also be given to relevant authorities, including the ECP and Punjab inspector general of police, in this regard.

The chief justice was cited as saying that involving the people in such situations of the crisis was the only way to find a resolution.

Umar continued, "We trust the decision-makers would also arrive at this choice quickly since the country is suffering terribly as a result of inflation and a failing economy.

He claimed that the PTI was anxiously anticipating hearing from the Pakistan Election Commission over five reserved seats.

The Punjab administration will use all available means to "influence" the by-elections for 20 seats, according to Umar, who claimed that his party had "serious misgivings" about this. The provincial administration is acting in this way because it recognizes Imran Khan as its enemy.

The Punjabi people would now be able to elect the government of their choice, Chaudhry insisted, adding that he felt the PTI's position had been supported by the top court.

The PTI leader stated that Hamza will continue in his position as chief minister till July 22 with "extremely limited powers," but added that the PTI did not want him to hold that position until the chief minister election.

However, Chaudhry Pervez Elahi, the speaker of the Punjab Assembly, has previously given his approval of the situation in court, according to Chaudhry.

 

He claimed that the chief justice's two comments were important. "First, he asserted that the best way to resolve conflicts in parliamentary democracies is through elections. He also discussed the value of resistance in the National Assembly in his second speech."

Chaudhry praised the Supreme Court, stating the SC panel took up the case to resolve "Punjab's political dilemma."