The All Pakistan Lawyers Representatives Conference convened today at the office of the Pakistan Bar Council in Islamabad. The conference was chaired by Haroon-ur-Rashid, Vice-Chairman, and Haan Rata Pasha, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Pakistan Bar Council.
The lawyers discussed various issues, including the current constitutional crisis, the upcoming general elections, raids on lawyers’ residences, the filing of FIRs against them, and the soaring prices of electricity and petrol.
In a statement, the conference expressed deep concern over the potential delay in the general elections. It demanded that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) conduct free and fair elections within the constitutional deadline of 90 days, as provided in Article 224 of the Constitution.
The conference also called upon the President of Pakistan to fulfill his constitutional responsibilities and announce the date of the general elections to uphold the Supremacy of the Constitution.
Furthermore, the lawyers raised concerns about the recent significant hike in electricity and petroleum prices, which has negatively affected the lives of citizens. They highlighted that while ordinary people struggle with these increased expenses, government officials and public sector corporations enjoy free electricity, gas, petrol, and other perks amounting to billions of rupees.
The lawyers demanded an end to these privileges, asserting that there should be no discrimination between the elite class and the common citizens, and that everyone should have equal access to essential facilities.
These concerns have arisen amidst a standoff between President Alvi and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) regarding who has the authority to determine the final date for the general elections.
In response to President Alvi’s letter seeking the opinion of the Law Ministry on the ECP’s stance, the ministry stated that the Election Commission of Pakistan has the right to announce the election date.
The Chief Election Commissioner, Sikandar Sultan Raja, replied to President Alvi’s invitation for a meeting to set an appropriate date for the elections, expressing the meeting’s limited importance after recent changes to the election law.
In his letter, President Alvi cited Article 244 of the Constitution, affirming his duty to conduct elections within the prescribed 90-day period once the National Assembly is prematurely dissolved.
Responding to President Alvi’s letter, CEC Raja clarified that the ECP has the power to announce the election date, according to the amended Section 57 of the Elections Act. He emphasized that if the National Assembly is dissolved on the advice of the Prime Minister or due to the expiration of the term, the commission believes it has the exclusive authority to appoint the date or dates for the elections.
CEC Raja also highlighted that the delimitation of constituencies, following the approval of the digital census, is a crucial step towards holding the general elections. The ECP has taken on this responsibility seriously and has invited major political parties to provide their input regarding the electoral map.
Earlier reports indicated that the ECP plans to hold the general elections in the second week of February 2024.