Islamabad (Staff Report/Agencies): The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday ordered all the departments concerned to hold elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhawa (KP) assemblies within 90 days.
A five-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail announced verdict in the suo motu notice regarding the delay in election dates in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhawa (KP).
The verdict was split 3-2 with Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail dissenting with the majority verdict. CJP Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar supported the ruling.
During Tuesday’s hearing, Barrister Ali Zafar, Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Barrister Shehzad Ata Elahi, Supreme Court Bar Association President Abid Zuberi, JUI-F lawyer Kamran Murtaza, PPP lawyer Farooq H. Naek and President Arif Alvi’s lawyer Salman Akram Raja were present in the court.
Following the conclusion of the hearing, the CJP said that the parties involved in the case wrapped up their arguments. He thanked all the lawyers who assisted the court throughout the hearings.
The court stated that it will announce verdict today but later, the CJP’s secretary stated that that the decision will be announced Wednesday.
