The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Saturday issued an interim order in the Karachi unrest case, taking a notice of Election Commission’s inaction regarding delimitation of constituencies in the metropolis.
In its 27-page order, which includes a 6-page additional note by Justice Khilji Arif, a larger bench of the Supreme Court declared it had clearly ordered the delimitation in Karachi and that it was not an observation. It directed that it was the responsibility of the Election Commission to hold transparent and impartial elections in the country.
According to the interim order, Muhajir Qaumi Movement (MQM) had not taken the issue of delimitations of Karachi seriously; that is why its petitions were rejected by the court.
So far as the MQM’s petition was concerned, it was also rejected as the petitioner did not pursue the case.
The order further said that the all sections of the society had welcomed the Supreme Court’s suo motu notice regarding the Karachi law and order situation. One year had passed but the government had not followed the court order in this regard.
The Elections Commission had also been ordered to implement the court order but in vain.
According to interim order, Article 51’s Sub Section 2 of the Constitution was not related to delimitations. Moreover, the aforesaid Act also did not curtail the authority of the election commission.
The order further said that the Election Commission was authorised to bring change in constituencies whenever it would like to do so.
Justice Khilji Arif Hussain stated in his additional note that it was responsibility of the Election Commission to hold transparent and impartial elections in the country.
