Former Punjab Chief Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) President, Pervaiz Elahi, has demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for violating the Constitution, following the nullification of the Election Commission of Pakistan’s order to postpone Punjab elections. Elahi’s statement comes after the coalition government’s demand for Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), Justice Umar Ata Bandial, to step down from his post due to Justice Athar Minallah’s dissenting note on the suo motu regarding the delay in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Punjab elections.
Elahi believes that it is unfair to ask the CJP to resign as he had respected the Constitution, but rather Shehbaz Sharif should resign for violating it. Furthermore, he urged the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) to change its unconstitutional behavior or face the consequences.
Elahi accused Nawaz Sharif of trying to repeat the history of the 1990s, referencing the political unrest that occurred in Pakistan during that time. He also commented on the current situation, stating that institutions were not weak enough to fail to provide security in a provincial election and that the Supreme Court made its decision in favor of elections after seeing reports from institutions.
The demand for the resignation of the CJP by the federal government comes after Justice Athar Minallah’s dissenting note on the suo motu regarding the delay in KP and Punjab elections. Justice Minallah’s note stated that the postponement was justified as it would have allowed for better electoral arrangements, given the current situation of the pandemic.
The demand for resignations from high-ranking officials and political figures highlights the political unrest and uncertainty in Pakistan. While some individuals believe that the actions of certain figures have violated the Constitution, others disagree and believe that such actions were necessary given the current circumstances.