ISLAMABAD: Top officials from Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Military Intelligence (MI) are reported to have met with Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial and two other apex court judges who are hearing a case related to the election in Punjab on May 14.
چیف جسٹس کی اہم ملاقاتیں۔ ذرائع کے مطابق جسٹس عمرعطاء بندیال سے آج اہم شخصیات نے ملاقات کی ہے۔ اعلی سطح ملاقات تین گھنٹے سے زائد تک جاری رہی۔ موجودہ ملکی صورتحال پر تفصیلی گفتگو ہوئی۔
— Rizwan Ghilzai (Student of Arshad Sharif) (@RizwanGhilzai) April 17, 2023
The meeting, which lasted for almost three hours, was held in the CJP’s chamber, as per reporters who have been covering the Apex Court for over a decade.
The meeting took place hours after the National Assembly disapproved releasing Rs. 21 billion of funds for holding elections for the provincial assemblies of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which were dissolved in January of this year.
Two agencies top officials & defence secretary met with CJP Umar Ata Bandial and two judges hearing elections delay matter. The meeting was continued for almost three hours today (Monday) in Supreme Court premises.
— Hasnaat Malik (@HasnaatMalik) April 17, 2023
The Supreme Court had previously ordered the State Bank of Pakistan to release the Rs. 21 billion to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for holding elections in Punjab and K-P and send an “appropriate communication” to this effect to the finance ministry by April 17.
The ECP is required to submit a report on the funds on Tuesday. Reporters covering the Apex Court believed that the intelligence officials gave a briefing to the judges on the security issues facing the country. It is not clear who convened the meeting.
It is noteworthy that a three-judge bench led by the Chief Justice, and comprising Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Ijazul Ahsan, had previously declared the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to postpone the election for the Punjab Assembly unconstitutional on April 4 and ordered it to hold polls in the province on May 14.
