Top intel officials brief apex court about security situation in Punjab and KP
ISLAMABAD
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Tuesday submitted a report to the Supreme Court of Pakistan stating that it had not received funds for elections in Punjab from the State Bank of Pakistan.
The apex court had ordered the submission of a progress report regarding the provision of funds for elections in Punjab. The ECP was ordered to submit a progress report regarding the delivery of funds today as the dateline set by the SC expired yesterday.
The ECP in its report informed the top court that the SBP did not transfer Rs21 billion for Punjab elections despite the direction of the court. Earlier, country’s top intelligence officers including the ISI director general have called on Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial to discuss the issue of providing security during the elections in Punjab.
According to sources, those who met the CJP including Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) director general, Military Intelligence (MI) director general, Military Operations (MO) director general and defence secretary.
The meeting which lasted for over three hours was held in CJP’s chamber on Monday. Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Muneeb Akhtar were also present in the CJP’s chamber during the meeting.
The intelligence officers updated the top justices about the country’s security situation, the sources said. The Supreme Court had earlier sought a report from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) about security provision during the elections by April 17.
The second deadline set by the Supreme Court for releasing funds to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for elections in Punjab was expired on Tuesday. The Supreme Court had ordered the State Bank to release the funds by April 17 during an in-chamber hearing on April 14 last. The State Bank of Pakistan had been ordered to release the funds directly.
