ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is reported to have submitted a report to the Supreme Court regarding the provision of funds for elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
According to multiple media sources, the report states that the commission has not received funds for the upcoming elections.
The report goes on to say that the State Bank of Pakistan has not transferred the necessary funds to the commission. This revelation comes after an informal meeting of the election commission chaired by the chief election commissioner was held on Tuesday.
In addition to the lack of funds, the report also mentions that a security plan has not been provided for the elections.
The Supreme Court is expected to review the report and take appropriate action in the coming days.
It may be recalled that last week, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial had ordered the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to release funds from Account No I — a principal component of the Federal Consolidated Fund worth Rs1.39 trillion — for holding the much-delayed elections to the assemblies of Punjab and KP on May 14.
The court had set April 17 as deadline for the SBP while directing it to immediately send an appropriate communication to the finance ministry, which would immediately issue a proper direction to the Accountant General Pakistan Revenue for increasing the limit of the ceiling by Rs21bn with respect to the ECP.
However, instead of complying with the Supreme Court’s orders, the matter was initially brought to the Standing Committee on Finance. From there, it was forwarded to the federal cabinet, which referred it to the National Assembly. However, it was ultimately rejected by the Assembly.
On Monday, the coalition government accomplished the rejection of its own request for a supplementary grant of Rs21 billion to the ECP for organizing elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, thus nullifying the Supreme Court’s order.
