SC orders State Bank Governor to release Rs21 billion for elections in Punjab
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan today ordered the Governor State Bank of Pakistan to release Rs 21 billion from the Federal Consolidated Fund for elections in Punjab.
The apex court ordered this on Friday during in-chamber hearing of the case pertaining to non-provision of funds to ECP for holding elections in Punjab.
Senior officials of the Finance Division and State Bank of Pakistan appeared in the in-chamber hearing. These days, Governor State Bank Jamil Ahmed is in Washington, attending the IMF and the World Bank annual meetings.
On Thursday, the Supreme Court declared ineffective the proposed Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill 2023 before its implementation.
An 8-member larger bench of the apex court took up for hearing petitions about the Bill clipping powers of the chief justice.
Meanwhile, the coalition parties in the government rejected the 8-member larger bench of the Supreme Court to hear the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill 2023.
The PDM parties have termed the larger bench controversial that would tarnish the image of the apex court.
The coalition parties in the government held an urgent meeting on Thursday morning and unanimously rejected the SC’s bench.
Such a move has never been seen before in the history of Pakistan and the judiciary, the coalition parties’ declaration stated. This is tantamount to jeopardizing the credibility of the highest court and rendering the process of justice meaningless, the statement added.
The bench is proof of the divisions within the Supreme Court, which validates the government’s position again, the statement said.
It further said the honorable judges have themselves objected to the ‘one-man show’, the biased and dictatorial behavior and formation of special benches.
The formation of the controversial eight-member bench is further proof of the facts stated in these judgments.
On Wednesday, the Chief Justice of Pakistan formed an 8-member larger bench of the Supreme Court to hear the petitions against Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill 2023.
The larger bench will take up for hearing on Thursday (April 13) petitions challenging the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill 2023.
CJP will be the head of the bench, comprising Justices Ijazul Ahsan, Muneeb Akhtar, Mazahir Naqvi, Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Ayesha Malik, Hasan Azhar Rizvi and Shahid Waheed.
The recent joint session of the Parliament passed the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill 2023. It will become law 10 days after its approval from the parliament.
