CJP advises rescheduling prime minister’s foreign visits so that CEC appointment could be expedited
The Supreme Court (SC) Thursday extended the deadline given to the government for the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) to November 24 failing which the acting CEC would return to his court duties and the post would be rendered vacant.
As a three-member SC bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Nasirul Mulk and comprising Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Dost Muhammad Khan, took up for hearing the case for appointment of a permanent CEC, the federal government pleaded the court for more time.
The previous deadline for the CEC appointment expired November 13 whereas the government and the opposition failed to have consensus over any name.
Attorney General Salman Aslam Butt told the court that the government had finalised three names after consultation with the opposition a couple of days ago, however Justice (r) Rana Bhagwandas and Justice (r) Tasadduq Hussain Jilani excused themselves from accepting the post.
The attorney general appealed the court to grant more time till the end of December but the court granted 11 more days to the government and set November 24 deadline for the appointment.
The court advised the government to review PM’s schedule for foreign visits before PM leaves for his next visit. “CEC would have been appointed, if the process started earlier,” the CJP added.
After Justice (r) Bhagwandas and former CJP Jillani declined the offer, consultation is being carried out over Justice (r) Tariq Pervez. None of the political parties have yet opposed this suggestion.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Jamat-e-Islami (JI) had given the name of Justice (r) Nasir Aslam Zahid while the government and opposition leader could not have an agreement over his name.
The prime minister and opposition leader would recommend three names each to the parliamentary committee in case none of the names are agreed upon. The committee would then finalise a name for CEC within 14 days.
