Islamabad (Web Desk): Pakistan Teherrek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former premier Imran Khan on Wednesday announced to suspend his party's 'Jail Bharo Tehreek' after the announcement of Supreme Court (SC) verdict in the suo motu case ordering all the departments concerned to hold elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhawa (KP) assemblies within 90 days.
Welcoming the top court's ruling, the PTI chief said that the party will move forward with election campaigns in Punjab and KP.
The former premier said that it was the responsibility of the Supreme Court to uphold the Constitution and they have valiantly done that through their judgment today. It is an assertion of Rule of Law in Pakistan.
We welcome the SC judgement. It was responsibility of SC to uphold Constitution & they have valiantly done that through their judgement today. It is an assertion of Rule of Law in Pak. We are suspending our Jail Bharo movement & moving forward with elec campaigns in KP & Punjab.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) March 1, 2023
Earlier in the day, the SC, in its ruling ordered all the departments concerned to hold elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhawa (KP) assemblies within 90 days.
A five-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail announced verdict in the suo motu notice regarding the delay in election dates in Punjab and KP.
The verdict was split 3-2 with Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail dissenting with the majority verdict. CJP Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar supported the ruling.
During Tuesday’s hearing, Barrister Ali Zafar, Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Barrister Shehzad Ata Elahi, Supreme Court Bar Association President Abid Zuberi, JUI-F lawyer Kamran Murtaza, PPP lawyer Farooq H. Naek and President Arif Alvi’s lawyer Salman Akram Raja were present in the court.
Following the conclusion of the hearing, the CJP said that the parties involved in the case wrapped up their arguments. He thanked all the lawyers who assisted the court throughout the hearings.
The court stated that it will announce verdict today but later, the CJP’s secretary stated that that the decision will be announced Wednesday.
