Islamabad (Web Desk): A petition was filed in the Supreme Court (SC) on Saturday to initiate contempt of court proceedings against the senators who passed a resolution in the upper house of the parliament seeking delay in general elections.
Advocate Ishtiaq Ahmed Mirza filed a petition in the top court today against Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani, Senator Dilawar, and other lawmakers — including those from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
The petitioner contended that the resolution passed by the Senate falls within the purview of contempt of court, emphasising the need for legal action against the chairman and the members involved.
Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami’s (JI) Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan has also moved a resolution in the Senate calling for holding polls at their scheduled time.
The JI senator contended that the resolution to delay the elections is unconstitutional and contradicts the principles laid out in the Constitution. He asserted that conducting elections is a constitutional obligation entrusted to the caretaker government and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
Additionally, Senator Mushtaq pointed out that the Supreme Court has already issued a decisive ruling on this matter.
On Friday, the Senate adopted a resolution calling for the postponement of general elections scheduled for February 8 in order to facilitate the effective participation of people across the country in the electioneering process in view of security and harsh weather conditions.
The resolution, moved by independent Senator Dilawar Khan, alluded to the cold weather conditions in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and surge in terror incidents in the country, stressing this delay aims to protect and uphold the constitutional rights to political participation.
The resolution got the approval during the presence of 14 senators who were the only lawmakers present in the house of 100.
Later, the passage of the resolution was roundly criticised by various political parties, while the caretaker information minister had insisted that there was no directive of the prime minister or the federal cabinet for delay.