A three-member bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan has expressed frustration over the non-implementation of its order concerning the delay of elections in Punjab.
The bench conducted an in-chamber hearing of the case, during which it directed the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to release funds directly to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
During the hearing, the judges expressed annoyance over the government’s lack of action and emphasized the importance of implementing their orders.
In attendance were SBP Deputy Governor Sima Kamil, special secretary of finance, additional secretary of finance, ECP secretary, and Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan, all of whom were summoned by the bench.
Read: Pakistan Supreme Court reinstates Punjab election schedule, declares ECP decision illegal
The Attorney General faced tough questions regarding the government’s stance during the hearing. He informed the bench that the federal government had implemented the Supreme Court’s April 4 order and had tabled a bill in the National Assembly to release funds from the Federal Consolidated Funds. However, he added that the government could not ask the SBP to issue the funds after the parliament rejected the bill.
Previously, the Supreme Court bench, led by Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial, had directed the ECP to hold elections in Punjab on May 14 and the federal government to provide Rs21 billion in funds to the ECP by April 10.
Despite these orders, the ECP submitted a report to the apex court on Tuesday, stating that the federal government had not yet provided the necessary funds for the polls.
