ISLAMABAD: A day before the election of Punjab chief minister, the Supreme Court decided on Thursday to keep pending a contempt of court petition against Hamza Shehbaz and federal Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, but made an observation that the court would not keep its eyes closed to any violation of the law.

Headed by Justice Ijazul Ahsan, a two-judge bench asked the petitioner, Punjab Assembly Speaker Parvez Elahi, to look into the allegations about attempts by certain elements to bribe PTI MPAs into voting for Hamza Shehbaz, the ruling coalition’s candidate.

Faisal Fareed, who represented the petitioner, said the respondents were violating a July 1 Supreme Court order that Hamza Shehbaz must remain within the confines of the Constitution and refrain from harassment of his political opponents during the run-up to the chief minister’s election on July 22.

The counsel presented affidavits by three PTI MPAs in which they accused their opponents of offering them bribes to vote for Hamza Shehbaz. He also referred to a statement by the interior minister in which he had dropped hints that five MPAs might stay away from the Punjab Assembly session in which the chief minister is to be elected.

The court, however, asked Faisal Fareed to cite specific clauses of the July 1 order which, the petitioner believed, had been violated.

The counsel further alleged that Raheela, a PML-N MPA, had offered an unspecified amount of money to three PTI legislators and that Atta Tarar, a spokesman for the Punjab government, had offered Rs250 million to these MPAs.

But the court made it clear that it needed concrete evidence to reach a conclusion.

The Supreme Court also asked Faisal Fareed whether the PTI had complained to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) about the violation of election laws. He replied that the party’s relationship with the ECP was strained these days.

Justice Ahsan observed that making tall claims was a common practice before any election, but assured the counsel the apex court would be on the lookout for violation of the law.

In his contempt of court petition, Chaudhry Parvez Elahi had pleaded before the Supreme Court to summon the alleged contemnor for violating its July 1 directive.

The petitioner alleged that the respondents, after losing majority in the Punjab Assembly, had got nervous and were resorting to unfair practices out of despair and frustration.

Published in Dawn, July 22nd, 2022