KP Assembly election: PHC adjourns hearing till 10th

Humayun Khan
PESHAWAR: A divisional bench of Peshawar High Court (PHC) comprising of Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Justice Sahibzada Asadullah adjourned hearing till 10th May due to absentia of Governor’s lawyer on holding elections for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly while declared that all parties should be heard on next proceedings, on Thursday.
Advocate General Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Amir Javeed, Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Lawyer Mohsin Kamran Sadiq and counsels for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Barrister Gohar Ali Khan appeared before court.
PTI’s counsel argued that Governor’s lawyer has submitted application for adjourned of hearing despite importance case which constitutional obligation to hold election within 90 days which has already ended.
Advocate General Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Amir Javeed informed that provincial government has submitted reply in this regard while Mohsin Kamran Advocate told that ECP’s comments are ready for submission before PHC.
In the meantime, Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim remarked that court has granted last chance for submission of reply on last hearing while directed to submit comments within two days before court.
Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has engaged Tariq Afridi Advocate in the petition while can’t able to appear before court due to his busy schedule for election campaign as presidential candidate of Peshawar High Court Bar Association (PHCBA) and requested for adjournment of hearing, PHC informed.
PHC has adjourned hearing till 10th May while declared that all parties will be heard on next proceedings while further adjournment shouldn’t be entertained. It is worthy to mention that PTI has filed writ at PHC seeking holding of election for provincial assembly within 90 days after its dissolution and stated that Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa continuously violating constitution and Supreme Court of Pakistan decisions.
Although, constitutional timeframe of caretaker government also ended on 17th April while Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and ECP has change election scheduled as announced as 28th May then changed to 8th October which is unconstitutional.