Supreme Court Summons Defense and Finance Secretaries for Postponement of Elections Hearing

Supreme Court Summons Defense and Finance Secretaries for Postponement of Elections Hearing

Supreme Court postpones hearing on postponement of elections

The Supreme Court of Pakistan has postponed the hearing on the postponement of elections until Monday morning. The court rejected the government’s request to constitute a full court in the matter, and a 3-member bench headed by the Chief Justice summoned the defense and finance secretary for the next hearing. During the hearing, the Chief Justice remarked that he would order resources if needed for peaceful elections, and if political parties violate the guarantee, they will have to bear the consequences, including the possibility of calling in Pakistan forces.

The Attorney General stated that the funds for elections are under the control of the Ministry of Finance, with 170 billion expected in the supplementary budget. Justice Muneeb Akhtar questioned how much the loss would increase if only 20 billion is spent, to which the Attorney General responded that the issue is not just 20 billion, but the entire economy, which is facing a loss of 1500 billion rupees. Justice Muneeb Akhtar also asked how much money the government currently has and how much is in the Federal Consolidated Funds.

The Chief Justice addressed concerns regarding criticism of the judges, stating that the court will also look into this issue. The court showed restraint in the matter, despite political issues being fueled by media and press conferences.