The Islamabad High court (IHC) on Thursday rejected government’s appeal against the suspension of the farmers’ relief package demanded by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
According to local media, attorney-General Salman Aslam Butt appeared in court today (Thursday) on behalf of the government, but latest reports state that the court rejected the government’s appeal.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had announced the Rs. 341 billion National Kissan Relief Package last month. It offered special cash relief for cotton and rice cultivators.
The package came weeks after the schedule for local government elections in Sindh, Punjab, and Islamabad was issued.
On September 30, ECP announced that the relief package was a violation of the code of conduct of the commission as it was announced at a time that could heavily influence voters. Therefore, it ordered to halt parts the package that were not included in the federal budget. Implementation of three parts of the package were halted till December 3.
The federal government later moved to the high court against the ECP’s decision, stating that the package was not intended to influence voters. The government lamented that the package was suspended by the ECP without hearing the stance of the Finance Ministry and the Planning Division.
The federal government claimed that the ECP cannot stop it from fulfilling its constitutional and legal responsibilities and that this package is not related to the local bodies’ elections in Sindh, Punjab and Islamabad.
The government petition had asked the high court to declare the ECP’s suspension null and void and issue a stay order.
