PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Friday gave a final opportunity to Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi’s counsel to argue a petition challenging a notice issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) over alleged threats to government officials during the Haripur by-election.
A two-member bench comprising Justice Syed Arshad Ali and Justice Muhammad Fahim Wali heard the petition.
Lawyers representing the ECP and the chief minister appeared before the court.
During the proceedings, counsel for the chief minister, Barrister Sarwar Shah, sought an adjournment, submitting that he had filed his power of attorney in the case only on Thursday and needed additional time to prepare his arguments.
Justice Syed Arshad Ali observed, “It does not happen like this,” while questioning the request for another adjournment.
Opposing the request, ECP Additional Director General (Law) Khurram Zeeshan told the court that the hearing had already been adjourned six times at the request of the petitioner. He said the ECP had serious objections to the repeated delays in the proceedings.
The ECP law officer submitted that the matter had already been heard on merit before the commission and that no objection had been raised by the chief minister during those proceedings.
He contended that the chief minister’s petition had become non-maintainable, although the ECP had yet to pass a final order in the matter.
After hearing the parties, the PHC granted the chief minister’s counsel a final opportunity to appear and argue the case. The bench made it clear that no further adjournment would be granted.
The court adjourned the hearing until October 7 and observed that if no one appeared on behalf of the petitioner at the next hearing, it would decide the matter in accordance with the law on the basis of the available record.
The petition was filed by Chief Minister Sohail Afridi against proceedings initiated by the ECP after allegations that government officials were threatened in connection with the Haripur by-election.
The commission had initiated proceedings over the alleged conduct, prompting the chief minister to approach the PHC.
