Pak SC will have to accept parliament's decision on Punjab elections: PML-N leader Maryam

Lahore [Pakistan], May 1 : Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz on Monday said that the Supreme Court would have to accept parliament's decision on the Punjab elections, reported Geo News.

"You will have to accept the decision of the Parliament. If the Constitution of the country is supreme then parliament is also supreme," she said while addressing a workers' convention in Lahore to mark International Labour Day.

Maryam was referring to the parliament's move to reject a money bill seeking funds for the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, despite the top court's order, reported Geo News.

This comes amid an impasse between the judiciary and the executive over the matter of early polls in Punjab.

During the last hearing of the polls delays case, a three-member bench led by Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Ijazul Ahsan urged the ruling alliance and the opposition party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to sit together for talks on elections for the sake of the Constitution.

"Please for the sake of the Constitution sit with each other," remarked CJP Bandial while wrapping up the election delay case's hearing on April 27.

Maryam said that the nation is eagerly awaiting the top court's verdict on Punjab polls and accused ex-CJP Saqib Nisar of making efforts for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan's return to power.

Commenting on the case proceedings, Maryam said an honourable judge of the apex court raised questions over the PTI's move to dissolve the assemblies of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, reported Geo News.

In an unusual move, Khan had Punjab and KP assemblies dissolved in January this year to force the government into holding elections across the country, but the PDM did not cave in, which led to further political turmoil, resulting in damage to the already fragile economy.

She quoted the judge as saying that the reason for dissolving assemblies needed to be sorted out before deciding the case, reported Geo News.

"The senior judges of the Supreme Court raised their voice against the conspiracy," Maryam added.

Maryam said the PTI chief himself admitted that he dissolved the provincial legislatures on the advice of former army chief General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa.

The ruling party leader said PTI wanted the elections in the country soon "otherwise, there will be no one to help them win the elections".