ISLAMABAD: PTI Vice President Fawad Chaudhry on Sunday urged Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial to stand on his feet and give a brave decision of sending the caretaker governments of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa packing and appointing administrators in both provinces for elections.

Mr Chaudhry, who addressed a news conference along with former minister for economic affairs Hammad Azhar, also expressed the hope that the State Bank of Pakistan would release Rs21 billion on Monday (today) for elections to Punjab Assembly as per Supreme Court’s direction. “The decisions of the court should be implemented because otherwise there will be no value of the courts,” he said.

He demanded that a commission be formed to investigate JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman’s claim that Gen Qamar Bajwa and Gen Faiz Hameed had assured him that the PTI government would be toppled during his Islamabad sit-in in 2019 and to probe who was behind the dharna.

He also criticised the coalition government for “remaining mum” over the statement of former governor of India-held Kashmir Satya Pal Malik, who vindicated Pakistan Army over the 2019 Pulwama attack.

Fawad urges CJP to appoint administrators in both provinces

About the alleged rift among judges, the PTI vice president said it was not SC’s job to issue statements, suggesting it to order investigation into who was behind the anti-judiciary campaign. The apex court should ask the media who had fed them the story about the so-called rift, he added.

He claimed that PTI leaders were being picked in a systematic way as 3,100 persons have been arrested in past few weeks. “Nation has been looking towards the chief justice and waiting for a brave decision. Stand on your feet so that the history would remember you,” he said while demanding that the SC replace the caretaker set-up with administrators for elections.

As the 90-day period of interim set-up in Punjab is going to expire in the third week of this month, the Supreme Court should send the caretaker government packing and appoint an administrator on April 23 to hold elections, the PTI vice president demanded.

Talking about the ex-governor of India-held Kashmir Satya Pal Malik’s statement that the Pulwama attack was a failure of Indian government but the Modi government decided to blame Pakistan for it, Fawad Chaudhry said for two days he awaited a statement from Pakistan’s prime minister, foreign minister or any other minister on the issue, but was utterly disappointed.

Hammad Azhar said that both Miftah Ismail and Ishaq Dar had failed to stabilise the economy, while petrol price had been raised by Rs10 again despite the fact that global oil prices had come down from $117 to $75 a barrel in recent years.

Alvi urged to send reference

Mr Chaudhry also wrote a letter to President Alvi, requesting him to send a reference to the SC to ensure timely elections in Punjab and KP and alleging that the Election Commission of Pakistan and the federal government were violating the Constitution in this regard.

He asked the president to take notice of the situation wherein the caretaker set-ups had been established in both provinces to ensure free and fair elections but the stipulated time of 90 days had almost passed due to “unlawful and unconstitutional” steps by the PDM coalition government.

Published in Dawn, April 17th, 2023