Pakistan Parliament Rejects Funding for Punjab Elections, Heightening Power Struggle between Government and Judiciary

The government of Pakistan asked for funds to hold elections in the Punjab province, but it was rejected by the National Assembly. The Pakistan Supreme Court had directed the government to provide funds and ensure security for the elections. The National Assembly rejected the demand, which went against the court’s orders. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party demanded that the Supreme Court start contempt proceedings against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for not releasing funds to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for the elections. The Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) will observe Tuesday as a black day to protest against the Supreme Court’s decision to suspend the operation of the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act 2023. The act limits the powers of the Pakistan chief justice and proposes to transfer these powers to a three-member committee. The PBC has appealed to the Supreme Court to allow political forces to resolve political issues.