PPP veteran Aitzaz Ahsan backs CJP Bandial amid govt's criticism

• Aitzaz Ahsan hails CJP for firm stance against doctrine of necessity.
• Says Constitution mandates holding of polls within 90 days.
• Lawyers gather to express solidarity with CJP Bandial. 

KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) senior leader and lawyer Aitzaz Ahsan has supported holding elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa within the 90-day period while hailing Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial for his firm stance against the doctrine of necessity.

The Constitution of Pakistan mandates the holding of elections within 90 days after the dissolution of an assembly, said the PPP leader while addressing the lawyers' convention in Islamabad through a video link on Monday.

The lawyers gathered in the federal capital to express solidarity with CJP Umar Ata Bandial, who headed a three-judge bench hearing the election delay case in the Supreme Court, after the government's move to clip the chief justice's powers to form benches and take suo motu notice under Article 184(3). 

However, after the week-long hearing, CJP Bandial reserved the high-stakes verdict on Monday which will be announced today (Tuesday). 

The initial three hearings of the case were conducted by a panel of five judges, with Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan recusing himself from the proceedings on the fourth hearing and Justice Jamal Mandokhail on the fifth hearing.

Subsequently, on March 31 and April 3, a bench comprising the CJP, Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar heard the case.

"CJP Bandial is standing firmly against the doctrine of necessity and his fellow judges support him in this cause for the sake of the Constitution," said Aitzaz.

He said that the dictation given to a judge by the family of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif in the past is on record. "The doctrine of necessity is former CJP Justice Muhammad Munir's legacy because of which martial law was imposed in the country."

The Constitution stipulates holding elections in 90 days as on the 91st day, the caretaker government will eventually lose its powers, Aitzaz said. However, he said efforts are being made to not hold elections in Punjab and KP.

He said that those who are supposed to provide security cover for the elections are making efforts to the effect that elections are not held in the country. 

The veteran politician said he is witnessing for the first time that the Constitution is not being implemented. He also believes that Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah will not allow the Rangers to stand guard for the elections as the paratroopers are under him.