ISLAMABAD - The federal cabinet has directed to seek guidance from the Parliament regarding providing of funds to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for conducting Punjab elections following the apex court order. The decision to this effect was taken at the federal cabinet meeting held via video link with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the chair here on Sunday. The meeting directed the Finance Ministry to prepare a summary in consultation with Law Ministry seeking guidance from the Parliament about whether to give funding to the Election Commission of Pakistan or otherwise for holding the provincial elections. The summary will be presented before the cabinet’s meeting re-convened today to decide the future course of action.
Consultation on matters related to the joint session of parliament will come under discussion in the meeting.
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The Supreme Court last week had directed the federal government to provide Rs21 billion in funds by April 10 to the ECP, directing the electoral body to present a report on the issue by April 11.
The verdict also said that the Supreme Court will issue instructions to the authorities concerned in case the funds are not provided. The cabinet meeting discussed at length the apex court’s majority ruling of 4-3, the detailed judgments of the four judges as well as the resolution passed on the matter by the National Assembly on Thursday last.
During the cabinet meeting, Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar briefed the cabinet on various constitutional and legal points in this regard.
The cabinet would be meeting again today in Islamabad which would discuss the joint summary by the finance and law ministries seeking guidance from the parliament about whether to give funding to the Election Commission of Pakistan or otherwise.
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The high-level huddle had decided to launch a comprehensive operation against terrorists, as the country’s civil and military leadership virtually issued a charge-sheet against the previous government and the establishment for allowing the banned TTP to regroup. According to sources, the federal cabinet also approved the decisions taken during the National Security Council (NSC) meeting that took place in Islamabad on Friday last. The ministers, who joined the cabinet meeting from the PM House, include Inter-Provincial Coordination Minister Riaz Hussain Pirzada, Overseas Pakistanis Minister Sajid Toori, Housing Minister Maulana Abdul Wasay, State Minister Hashim Notezai, while the prime minister’s advisor Ameer Muqam was also present in-person. Those attending online include Economic Affairs Minister Ayaz Sadiq and Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafiq.