According to sources, A Three-member Supreme Court bench voiced “annoyance” on Friday over the non-implementation of its ruling in the Punjab election postponement and asked the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to “release funds directly” to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
Today, the bench heard the case in chambers and issued orders to the relevant agencies.
SBP Deputy Governor Sima Kamil, special secretary finance, extra secretary finance, ECP secretary, and AGP Mansoor Usman Awan all appeared before the bench in accordance with the summons.
According to reports, during the hearing, judges voiced their displeasure with the non-implementation of court judgments and told the government that the orders would have to be followed.
According to officials who attended the session, Attorney General of Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan was grilled on the government’s stance throughout the hearing.
“The federal government carried out the Supreme Court’s April 4 order,” the AGP told the bench. He also stated that the government had introduced legislation in the National Assembly to authorise the flow of monies from the Federal Consolidated funds.
“The government cannot ask the SBP to issue funds after the bill was rejected by the parliament,” AGP Awan remarked, according to sources.
The Supreme Court (SC) bench, led by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial, had directed the electoral body to hold elections in Punjab on May 14, and the federal government to provide the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) with Rs21 billion by April 10.
However, the ECP submitted a report to the apex court on Tuesday stating that the federal government had not provided funds for the polls.
