Equal treatment for all is a level playing field: Justice Minallah

Justice Minallah remarked asking why a political party was being dealt with differently. Equal treatment for all is a level playing field.

The Supreme Court has directed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hear the PTI’s complaints against level playing field at 3pm, and redress their grievances.

The court asked the commission to listen to all the complaints and resolve them, as ECP officials appeared in court on being summoned. The court asked what the commission did about the complaints it received.

The election commission and the attorney general for Pakistan assured the court of cooperation.

The acting CJP also remarked that all inspectors general of police should be told not to harass the PTI candidates.

PTI lawyer Shoaib Shaheen complained that lawyers were also being arrested from the office of the returning officer. The Supreme Court then disposed of the PTI’s petition.

The court ordered the ECP officials to review and resolve the PTI’s complaints. The commission should immediately meet with the political parties.

If the political parties had complaints, it meant the election commission was not working, Justice Minallah remarked, asking why a political party was being dealt with differently. Equal treatment for all is a level playing field, he added.

During the proceedings, the election commission officials expressed ignorance about the PTI's complaints.

Justice Shah remarked that the complaints were filed in the morning, yet they were unaware.

Justice Minallah said that on the one hand, elections were near and on the other, the authorities were going to Adiala Jail to conduct the hearings. "You can also postpone those hearings until after the elections," the judge remarked.

Justice Minallah also remarked that there were reasons that no one trusted the ECP. “Your conduct is proving that there is no level playing field,” he added.

The Election Commission of Pakistan is a constitutional institution, Justice Shah remarked, ordering that they have to resolve the complaints and ensure a level playing field.

“What did you do about the complaints of not allowing to submit nomination papers?” asked Justice Shah.

“What is the caretaker government doing?” Justice Minallah asked.

The Supreme Court (SC) had earlier fixed for hearing a petition of the PTI seeking a level playing field. Acting Chief Justice of Pakistan Sardar Tariq Masood has issued directives to the Registrar Office in this regard.

The court later formed a three-judge bench to hear the case immediately. The bench will be headed by Justice Masood and comprise Justices Athar Minallah and Mansoor Ali Shah.

The SC also summoned officials of the election commission on the petition.

PTI's lawyer Niazullah Niazi raised the issue during the hearing of the ongoing cipher case.

The lawyer said the nomination papers of their candidates were being snatched and everyone knew what happened to PTI leader Usman Dar's mother.

Have the candidates' own documents been torn? The acting CJP asked.

Justice Athar Minallah asked if the election commission was also not listening to their complaints.

The lawyer replied that they have not even been allotted the election symbol.

On Thursday, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan had filed a petition with the Supreme Court, making the federation, Election Commission of Pakistan and the four provincial governments parties in the petition. The petition was filed under Article 184(3) of the Constitution.

In the petition, the party adopted the stance that nomination papers were being snatched from PTI candidates, and they were also being harassed. He asked for being given an equal right to participate in the elections.

In the petition, the PTI requested that the Supreme Court issue instructions to the parties nominated to provide a level playing field to the PTI and ensure transparent elections. The parties should also be directed to refrain from harassing the workers and leaders of the PTI.