The Federation on Thursday informed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) that the Kissan package was announced for the relief of impoverished farmers only and has no connection with local bodies elections.
The hearing, presided over by Chief Election Commissioner Justice (r) Sardar Raza Khan, was conducted in Islamabad during which Attorney General Salman Aslam representing federation and health secretary from government appeared before the division bench.
The federal government counsel elucidated that Prime Minister’s Kissan Package worth Rs 341 billion is only for the welfare of farmers. He claimed that the relief package was suspended without hearing the Ministry of Finance which is against the Constitution.
He further complained that the respondent had failed to notice ‘relief’ in the Kissan Package, which had also been granted by the previous governments and must not be treated as a special case.
Subsequently, ECP adjourned the hearing till November 11.
Earlier, ECP stopped implementation of Kissan package over violation of the election code. A petition was submitted in the IHC stating that the package cannot be approved without permission of the National Assembly.
Petitioner Shahid Orakzai argued that introduction of a supplementary budget is mandatory for this package. There is no room for payment of such huge amount without the supplementary budget. He requested the court to immediately bar payment of this package.
Meanwhile, Justice Athar Minallah directed the registrar office to remove objections on the petition and set date for hearing of the petition.
It is pertinent to mention here that the opposition parties have also rejected the relief package for farmers, terming it pre-poll rigging ahead of the local government elections.