World News | Pak Supreme Court Judges Duty-bound to Enforce Constitutional Provisions: CJP Bandial

Islamabad, May 7 (PTI) Pakistan's Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial said on Sunday that the Supreme Court judges were duty-bound to follow the Constitution and must not "blink" their eyes while enforcing its provision of holding polls within 90 days of an assembly's dissolution.

Speaking at a conference on minority rights in Lahore, the chief justice said he was optimistic that the country's leaders, institutions and people were all committed to the Constitution.

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“When it comes to constitutional enforcement we must not blink our eyes. If it says 90 days for holding elections, it is our duty to say that and not our choice, instead of finding a reason why we should avoid saying that,” he said.

His statement came as the May 14 deadline set by the apex court for holding elections in the Punjab province was approaching fast even as the country's Election Commission and the government have shown inability to organise the polls.

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It is feared that the court may hold the government or some individual responsible for contempt for violating the orders, leading to disqualification of the person(s) held responsible.

The chief justice rejected that the apex court verdict of April 4 to hold elections was controversial.

“You must support the Supreme Court if you stand up for the law and the Constitution and not [for] any individual,” he said.

He said when the Supreme Court speaks on merit, then its judgement has moral authority.

Bandial said the issue of elections has deeply divided Pakistani politics as the coalition government wants to hold elections for the federal and provincial assemblies on the same date after the current national assembly completes its term on August 13.

Last month, the Supreme Court, while hearing a petition of the country's main opposition party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), directed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold general elections to the Punjab Assembly on May 14.

However, the coalition government rejected the apex court's orders.

After repeated back and forth last week, the Supreme Court on April 20 afforded a temporary respite to the country's main political parties, giving them time till April 26 to develop a consensus on the date for elections to the provincial and national assemblies, so they could be held simultaneously across the country.

Negotiations subsequently followed between the government and the PTI but remained inconclusive.

Referring to the negotiations between the government and the PTI, the chief justice said the apex court was informed that they had not concluded yet.

“We have nothing to do with that but at least they are conscious that they have a duty to comply [with] the Constitution and we are there to support that effort otherwise our judgement is there, it has a force of its own," he was quoted as saying by the Dawn newspaper.

"It may not be implemented today but it will last to the test of time and shall be implemented tomorrow,” the chief justice pointed out.

Speaking about minority rights, he said the Constitution assured freedom to profess religion and to manage religious institutions subject to public order and morality.

“Our Constitution says everyone is free to profess their religion, and all citizens have equal rights and yet for years our minorities have felt discriminated, marginalised and sidelined,” he said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)