National Assembly (NA) Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf wrote on Wednesday a letter to Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial, urging that the institution should avoid getting involved in political matters as much as possible.
Regarding the court's interference with the National Assembly's authority to approve expenditures from the Federal Consolidated Fund, the speaker sent a letter to the CJP.
The development comes as the Supreme Court and the government continue to disagree over the schedule of the elections for the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies.
https://twitter.com/NAofPakistan/status/1651271846892048384?s=20
Before Eid ul Fitr, the Supreme Court ordered parties to negotiate a date for the elections; however, this has not yet occurred. The top court will begin hearings on elections today (Thursday).
On Wednesday, in a meeting of the ruling allies, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that a parliamentary committee would discuss the terms of negotiations between the ruling coalition and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) regarding holding polls across the country on the same day.
However, the lawmakers of the ruling coalition today opposed holding discussions with the opposition under pressure and reaffirmed faith in PM Shehbaz's leadership in ferocious remarks.
"It is best to leave the resolution of political matters to parliament and the political parties," the lower house speaker wrote.
In his letter, Speaker Ashraf requested the chief justice of the supreme court and other justices to display restraint both individually and collectively and to respect the legislative authority of the Parliament.
"We must work together to uphold the Constitution, protect democratic values, and work within our respective constitutional domains to ensure that confrontation between the organs of the state is avoided and the constitutional order is maintained," he stated.
In addition, he expressed the "profound concern and unease of the elected representatives of the people of Pakistan regarding some recent Supreme Court decisions and comments made by some Hon'ble Judges, as reported in the media."
He continued by saying that those choices impinge on the National Assembly's ability to exercise its two primary constitutional powers, the ability to enact laws and the power of the purse.
The speaker also emphasized that Article 73 of the Constitution gives the National Assembly exclusive authority over the Money Bill, while Articles 79 to 85 give elected members of the National Assembly the power and authority to approve expenditures from the Federal Consolidated Fund.
"Keeping in view these unambiguous constitutional provisions and division of powers and functions, I write to convey the profound concern and deep unease of the National Assembly with the orders passed by a 3-member Bench of the Supreme Court on April 14, 2023, and April 19, 2023, directing the State Bank of Pakistan and Finance Division, Government of Pakistan, to allocate or release Rs. 21 billion to the Election Commission of Pakistan," he wrote.
Regarding the court's interference with the National Assembly's authority to approve expenditures from the Federal Consolidated Fund, the speaker sent a letter to the CJP.
The development comes as the Supreme Court and the government continue to disagree over the schedule of the elections for the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies.
https://twitter.com/NAofPakistan/status/1651271846892048384?s=20
Before Eid ul Fitr, the Supreme Court ordered parties to negotiate a date for the elections; however, this has not yet occurred. The top court will begin hearings on elections today (Thursday).
On Wednesday, in a meeting of the ruling allies, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that a parliamentary committee would discuss the terms of negotiations between the ruling coalition and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) regarding holding polls across the country on the same day.
However, the lawmakers of the ruling coalition today opposed holding discussions with the opposition under pressure and reaffirmed faith in PM Shehbaz's leadership in ferocious remarks.
"It is best to leave the resolution of political matters to parliament and the political parties," the lower house speaker wrote.
In his letter, Speaker Ashraf requested the chief justice of the supreme court and other justices to display restraint both individually and collectively and to respect the legislative authority of the Parliament.
"We must work together to uphold the Constitution, protect democratic values, and work within our respective constitutional domains to ensure that confrontation between the organs of the state is avoided and the constitutional order is maintained," he stated.
In addition, he expressed the "profound concern and unease of the elected representatives of the people of Pakistan regarding some recent Supreme Court decisions and comments made by some Hon'ble Judges, as reported in the media."
He continued by saying that those choices impinge on the National Assembly's ability to exercise its two primary constitutional powers, the ability to enact laws and the power of the purse.
The speaker also emphasized that Article 73 of the Constitution gives the National Assembly exclusive authority over the Money Bill, while Articles 79 to 85 give elected members of the National Assembly the power and authority to approve expenditures from the Federal Consolidated Fund.
"Keeping in view these unambiguous constitutional provisions and division of powers and functions, I write to convey the profound concern and deep unease of the National Assembly with the orders passed by a 3-member Bench of the Supreme Court on April 14, 2023, and April 19, 2023, directing the State Bank of Pakistan and Finance Division, Government of Pakistan, to allocate or release Rs. 21 billion to the Election Commission of Pakistan," he wrote.