The Supreme Court gave on Tuesday the Islamabad High Court (IHC) one week to decide whether the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) decision of banning recruitments in government institutions is legal.
Islamabad, (Pakistan Point News - 24th Apr, 2018) : The Supreme Court gave on Tuesday the Islamabad High Court (IHC) one week to decide whether the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) decision of banning recruitments in government institutions is legal. A day earlier, Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Saqib Nisar had taken suo motu notice of the ECP's April 11 order regarding a hiring freeze in appointments by federal, provincial and local governments to ensure transparency in the upcoming general elections.
The ECP had also halted implementation of all development schemes taken up after April 1. As the hearing went under way today, Chief Justice Nisar observed that as per Article 218 of the Constitution, it is the ECP's responsibility to hold transparent elections. The ECP secretary informed the apex court that they halted recruitments of government jobs to prevent pre-poll rigging and clarified that the Federal and provincial public service commissions have been exempted from the order.
The court ordered that the Punjab government's writ petition against the ECP order should be transferred to the IHC where a two-member bench will decide it in a week. Justice Aamer Farooq will head the bench and conduct proceedings daily, it stated further, adding that until then, the ECP decision will remain in place. The court also ruled that any province which wants to challenge the decision may file a writ in the IHC.
