PTI to move Supreme Court against delay in Punjab polls

The party of former prime minister Imran Khan would challenge the decision of country's poll authorities to postpone the general elections in Punjab in the Supreme Court, a senior party leader said.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) last week decided to postpone the elections date in Punjab from April 30 to October 8 citing security concerns as the main reason for the decision.

Fawad Chaudhry, senior vice-president of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-insaf (PTI), and Asad Umar, party's secretary-general, announced their intention to file a complaint with the highest court against the ECP for "breaching the constitution" during a joint news conference in Lahore.

The PTI leaders insisted that "there is no choice but to conduct elections on April 30," adding that "the PTI'S petition would seek the court's order for holding elections on the previously scheduled date”.

Fawad criticised the coalition government headed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and claimed that the joint session of parliament held on Wednesday was an "attack on the Supreme Court”.

Fawad alleged that "judges are being blackmailed and pressured”. The PTI leader said that millions of people support the chief justice and other judges of the apex court.

“The ECP has violated the Constitution by postponing the elections. Its decision was in conflict with the Supreme Court's orders as well,” Umar maintained. Elections in the region must take place on April 30, he insisted.

According to the PTI leader, the high courts in Islamabad, Peshawar, and Lahore explicitly stated in their orders that the ECP could not change the poll date.