Election date: SC judgment contains different opinions of bench on petitions: minister

ISLAMABAD: The federal government will completely accept the Supreme Court’s verdict on suo motu with regard to election date but the decision has come by a 4-3 majority and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s petitions stand rejected and suo motu proceedings stand dropped, said Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Wednesday.

Addressing at a press conference, he said the verdict of the apex court is binding on the federal government but the judgment contains different opinions of the bench on the petitions placed before the court.

The petitions seeking election date has been declared non-maintainable as well as due to the pendency of similar before the Peshawar High Court (PHC) and the Lahore High Court (IHC), the suo motu procedure has been declared unjustified, he said.

The minister said that the matter is in the high courts. Whatever decision high courts will announce then the aggrieved will definitely challenge it in the apex court. Whatever decision over the appeal will be made, the government will accept it, he said.

The minister said that all out efforts will be made to arrest PTI Chairman Imran Khan in connection with two cases registered regarding attack on the Federal Judicial Complex (FJC) during his appearance in Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) and Banking Court.

He said that the two separate first information reports (FIRs) have been registered under different sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and 7ATA of the Anti-Terrorism Act (7ATA) against Khan and 200 others. So far 29 people have been arrested by the police and efforts are continued for the arrest of the other people, he said, adding that courts have provided relief to PTI Chief Khan in other cases but he hopes that this time the court will not provide him relief.

The interior minister said that we are fulfilling our responsibility because if anyone is permitted to bring a group of people, break the gate and camera and attack the court, then every bully will act like this. Bringing 200 or 300 people is not a difficult task, he said.

The minister said that the attack on the FJC is a conspiracy to hold the judicial system hostage and get arbitrary decisions.

“The PTI chief gathered people through social media and attacked the court”, he said.

The minister said that the attack on the FJC and the IHC is unacceptable. He said that those involved in this incident are being identified through CCTV cameras and everyone including Imran Khan will be arrested. Police have recovered a weapon from a person who is an employee of the police of a province, he said.

To a question, he said that the administration had no prior information that Khan is coming with the intent to attack the FJC.

“The PTI chairman came with criminal intent, therefore, police have been put on high alert and will try to arrest the former premier,” he said.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023