WTP Report
ISLAMABAD :The Supreme Court of Pakistan will announce verdict in sou motu notice regarding election in KPK and Punjab.The SC reserved the judgement yesterday on Tuesday.The verdict set to be announced today on Wednesday at 11.30am.
A five-member bench headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail conducted the hearings for two consecutive days — from Monday to Tuesday.
“I would like to thank all the lawyers who have assisted us throughout the hearings. I cannot say when will we be back [to announce the verdict],” the CJP said after the parties involved in the case wrapped up their arguments. Although the verdict was expected today, the CJP’s secretary said that the decision will be unveiled on Wednesday.
The top court had also earlier today asked the political parties — the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the ruling alliance — to agree upon a mutual date for the elections, but they could not reach a consensus. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) lawyer asked the court to continue the proceedings as the coalition partners needed more time to consult with each other.
The SC had taken the suo motu notice of an apparent delay in the elections of the two assemblies, on February 23, following President Arif Alvi’s announcement of the date of polls, a move that drew strong criticism from the government.
