Says Maryam Nawaz setting a trap to get her uncle disqualified.

LAHORE    -    The Election Commission should seek permission from the Supreme Court to consult for the new caretaker setup from April 22 onwards, as the current interim government was estab­lished only for 90 days, claimed Fawad Chaudhry on Thursday.

Addressing a press conference here, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said the caretaker government could not continue beyond the third week of April. Fawad raised questions on the duration and le­gitimacy of caretaker setup and said, elections in Punjab and Khy­ber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly were to be held in 90 days in any case. 

According to the constitution a caretaker government is set up for duration of 90 days for conducting smooth and trans­parent elections. The term of current caretaker government in Punjab will conclude on April 22. The constitution is silent on what will happen after the con­clusion of 90 days of caretaker government. Fawad maintained that the interim government will not be able to issue any admin­istrative or executive order after April 22. Fawad asked the Elec­tion Commission of Pakistan to send a reference to the Supreme Court. The Election Commission has to establish a new setup in the Punjab province after April 22, he added. Holding the fed­eral government responsible for the current political deadlock, the PTI leader said govt wanted to elude from the elections due to fear of losing. He added that entire crisis was caused due to the unconstitutional behavior of this government. Fawad said that the federal government was not ready to give up power and the only crisis that existed was in form of fascism imposed on Pakistan. This government is not following the constitution of Pakistan, he added.

He said more than 20 people had died in pursuit of free flour so far. He said due to delay in elections country was facing po­litical and economic crisis. Accus­ing Maryam Nawaz of conspiring against his uncle he said, she was setting a trap to get her uncle dis­qualified. He added that if Shehbaz Sharif had sense, he would under­stand the plot being set up against him. Speaking about the criticism on the recent decision of the judi­ciary by the government, Fawad citing the Article 8 of the Constitu­tion said, Article 8 of the constitu­tion restricts everyone from criti­cizing the army and the judiciary. The ministers who have rejected the verdict of the apex court have committed contempt of the Con­stitution, he contented. 

When inquired about the names who dared reject the SC decision, all the ministers said they were not involved in the defiance, he claimed. He said Bilawal Bhutto’s office has said that he was not part of the meeting in which SC verdict was rejected. Fawad Ch said that legal experts including Ch Aitzaz Ahsan and former judges had made it clear that Article 6 will ap­ply after April 22, if any minister issued an order after the conclu­sion of the term of caretaker setup.

Speaking about the resolu­tion adopted against the SC elec­tion verdict by the parliament on Thursday, Fawad said, 4 people were present in the assembly meeting on Wednesday adding, the resolution adopted against the verdict on Thursday was signed by only 42 members of the Parlia­ment while the House consists of 342 members. The federal govern­ment is adamant not to hold elec­tions despite the decision of the Supreme Court, he further added. Fawad also said, the law minister and the Cabinet objected to the decision of the Supreme Court and the cabinet rejected Supreme Court’s verdict by issuing a state­ment against the verdict.