Parliament to discuss election funds matter as SC’s deadline ends today

The federal cabinet on Monday approved the summary prepared by the Ministry of Finance regarding the release of funds to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for holding elections in Punjab.
The Supreme Court, in its April 4 verdict, had directed the federal government to release and provide ECP with funds worth Rs21 billion in any case by April 10 for polls.
With the deadline ending today, the federal cabinet — under the chair of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif — decided to refer the matter to the parliament, observing that it was supreme and whatever decision it would make, would be acceptable.
A day earlier, the cabinet discussed in detail the Supreme Court’s April 4 verdict on the release of Rs21 billion to the electoral body by April 10.
The statement said the cabinet, while deciding to refer the issue to the Parliament, also kept in view the National Assembly’s resolution of April 6.
Through the resolution, the house had asked the government not to implement the decision taken by the three-member SC bench, which ordered the ECP to hold the Punjab Assembly elections on May 14, terming the same unconstitutional and against the law.
Instead, the National Assembly, through the resolution, maintained the majority decision taken by four judges would be acceptable.
The federal cabinet Sunday had directed the finance minister — who has postponed his trip to the US — to prepare a summary for the release of elections funds for the guidance of the parliament.
During Sunday’s meeting, Tarar briefed the cabinet on all the legal and constitutional aspects of the apex court directives and the release of funds to the ECP.
Meanwhile, the joint session of Parliament is to be held today (Monday) at 4pm and is likely to take up the Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Bill, 2023 that was returned by President Arif Alvi without signing it.
The cabinet also discussed the president’s conduct and was of the unanimous view that he was not doing justice to his constitutional position.
The prime minister observed that the president was behaving like a worker of PTI and was serving the party’s interests.