The court’s ruling could deepen the country’s current political crisis, as it fulfils a demand by the party of opposition leader Imran Khan. Khan’s party dissolved the legislature in two provinces, including Punjab, this year to force early elections. Khan was ousted as prime minister by Pakistan’s national parliament through a vote of no confidence last year and has since been seeking fresh elections.
The government said it would not accept a decision by a divided court, as some of the judges had already rejected Khan’s plea seeking early elections. Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar said after the ruling that they want all judges of the Supreme Court to decide on elections.
Stand-offs between the government and the top judiciary have resulted in military coups in Pakistan, a country ruled by powerful generals for half of its existence. Pakistan, a South Asian nuclear power with a more than 220 million mainly Muslim population, is already facing an economic crisis as it reels from last year’s devastating floods. Experts have said a political crisis on top of an economic one might pose a formidable challenge for the country.
The decision by the Supreme Court was welcomed by opposition parties, with Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Bilawal Bhutto Zardari saying that it was the first time in many years that the court had taken a decision in favour of democracy.
The PPP was ousted by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in the last general election, which was marred by allegations of rigging.
The delay in holding the Punjab elections had been criticized by both opposition parties and civil society groups, who saw it as an attempt by the ruling PML-N to cling to power. The PML-N, however, argued that the delay was necessary to ensure free and fair elections in the province.
The decision to hold early elections in Punjab is likely to have wider implications for Pakistani politics. If the PML-N loses control of the province, it would weaken its position in the national parliament, which it currently dominates.
The PML-N, which is led by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, has been embroiled in a corruption scandal that has seen Sharif and his family members indicted on charges of money laundering and other financial crimes. Sharif has denied the charges and has accused the judiciary of bias.
The political crisis in Pakistan has also been fuelled by tensions between the country’s civilian government and the powerful military establishment. Khan has accused the military of interfering in the political process and of being behind his ouster as prime minister.
The military has denied the accusations, but it has also been accused of supporting Khan’s party in the run-up to the Punjab elections.
The holding of free and fair elections in Punjab will be a major challenge for Pakistan’s electoral authorities, who have been criticized in the past for their failure to prevent vote-rigging and other electoral malpractices.
The authorities will need to ensure that the voting process is transparent and that the results are accepted by all parties. The outcome of the Punjab elections is likely to have a significant impact on Pakistan’s political landscape and could determine the future course of the country’s democracy.