Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Facebook.
Karachi: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has been making all possible attempts to delay polls in the country’s politically crucial Punjab province. On Friday, Sharif has convened a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) where he is expected to seek the support of the military leadership to postpone the elections due to security concerns.
The meeting comes within days after three-member bench of the country’s apex court led by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial fixed 14 May as the new date for elections to the Punjab Assembly.
The judicial body quashed the Election Commission of Pakistan’s decision to extend the polls date from 10 April to 8 October.
On Thursday, the Pakistan’s parliament passed a resolution rejecting the Supreme Court’s decision about the Punjab polls delay case and demanded a full court to decide on the issue.
Pak PM calls meeting to postpone Punjab polls
The meeting will take place at PM Sharif’s house, The Express Tribune said in a report.The top civil and military leadership are expected to participate in the NSC meeting. The heads of the country’s intelligence agencies will brief the participants on the national security situation during the meeting, the report said.
Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza, heads of the air force and the navy, and federal ministers for defence, finance, and information will be attending the meeting today.
Why Pakistan government wants to delay polls?
A report by Dawn mentioned insiders saying that during the meeting, the Pakistan government would again ask the top brass for a briefing on potential threats from militants in case elections were held in Punjab on 14 May as per the court’s order.
The military authorities had given a detailed briefing to the Shehbaz Sharif-government that terrorist outfits have regrouped in tribal districts bordering Afghanistan due to which conditions were not favorable for smooth and free election.
Pakistan may impose an emergency
Another source quoted by Dawn said there could be discussion on the option of “imposing an emergency” in Pakistan under Article 232 in wake of the current situation.
The Article 232 of Pakistan’s Constitution pertains to the proclamation of emergency for the maximum period of one year on account of war and internal disturbance. However, the parliament has to pass a resolution passed to declare the emergency.
‘Pak government pitting military directly against judiciary’
Former Prime Minister of Pakistan and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief, Imran Khan criticised the Shehbaz Sharif-led government for summoning the NSC meeting and claimed that the incumbent government would “try and use security as [a] pretext for postponement of elections”.
“This will pit armed forces directly against not just judiciary but also the nation,” he said.”They brought in an unconstitutional bill on SC and an NA resolution against [the] judiciary,” Khan said.
Role of National Security Committee
Chaired by the Prime Minister of Pakistan, the NSC is a federal institutional and consultative body. It is a principal forum that is mandated for considering national security and foreign policy matters with the senior national security advisers and cabinet ministers.
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