Islamabad: Pakistan’s parliament on Thursday adopted a resolution rejecting a Supreme Court order to hold provincial snap polls within 90 days.

The PMLN-led coalition parliamentarians defied the court order and called upon the prime minister and the federal cabinet not to implement the court’s judgement.

“This House rejects the minority decision of the three-member bench and orders the prime minister and the cabinet not to implement the unconstitutional decision,” said Balochistan Awami Party legislator Khalid Magsi as he read out the resolution.

The House also expressed concerns over “unreasonable interference in political affairs” and lamented that the requests to form a full court bench were ignored by the court.

According to the resolution, the parliament believes that conducting national and provincial elections across the country simultaneously is critical for stability. The resolution also demanded a full court of the Supreme Court to review concerns over the “wrong interpretation” of Article 63-A of the Constitution which is related to the disqualification of defecting lawmakers.

Background

The government’s reaction came a day after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced that polls would be held on May 14 following the Supreme Court’s ruling that the delay in polls was illegal and ordered it within 90 days of the dissolution of a legislative assembly.

Soon after the announcement, the opposition party Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), which has expressed confidence in victory in the upcoming elections, launched pre-poll arrangements. “We have started our election preparations,” Imran Khan, the PTI chief, said in an address to his supporters. Khan’s party dissolved the regional assemblies in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces to force snap national elections. However, Sharif’s government has dismissed the demand, saying elections were scheduled for late 2023.

The ruling Pakistan Demoratic Alliance (PDM), an alliance of several political parties including PMLN, PPP, and JUI-F, has shown reluctance to hold the polls ahead of the schedule.

The government has cited economic crisis as well as security and financial concerns. “The solution to the prevailing constitutional, political, and legal complications is to hold elections simultaneously in the entire country to ensure transparency and fairness,” Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said on Thursday.

The government once again demanded a full court bench on the court’s order on holding elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Elections must be held within 90 days of the dissolution of a legislative assembly as per Pakistan’s constitution.