In a recent session presided over by Chief Justice Qazi Faiz Isa, the focus was on the level playing field case involving Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidates.
The Chief Justice questioned whether PTI expected the court to automatically accept 100% of their candidates’ nomination papers. The proceedings were adjourned until the following Monday, with the court requesting a written response from PTI regarding reports from the Election Commission and Chief Secretary Punjab. Emphasizing the importance of written replies over verbal statements, the Chief Justice urged parties to address any misrepresentations directly. Additionally, he highlighted the global visibility of the court proceedings, emphasizing the need to avoid airing grievances.
Addressing concerns about Article 144, which had been enforced, PTI expressed concerns about the unequal implementation among candidates. The Chief Justice clarified that Article 144 applies universally and isn’t specific to any single party’s interests. He questioned PTI’s implications of conspiracy among other political parties.
PTI’s request to expedite the election mark case for an imminent hearing was acknowledged, and the Chief Justice agreed to schedule it accordingly. However, he underscored that the court’s role is not to manage elections but to address legal matters. He reiterated that the Election Commission holds the jurisdiction over electoral processes, including document verification and the election schedule. Therefore, issues related to the Election Commission’s domain should ideally be addressed through their authority, not the court’s intervention.