Secretary General of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and former federal minister Asad Umar on Wednesday announced that a contempt petition against Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and the Punjab government was filed in the Supreme Court.
In an announcement on Twitter, Umar claimed that there had been a blatant attempt to interfere in the Punjab chief minister’s election process.
Have filed contempt petition against rana Sanaullah and punjab govt in supreme court today. The blatant attempt to interfere in the CM election process, use of. Police & speciql branch and open threats by interior minister are a clear contempt of the july 1 decision of SC.
— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) July 20, 2022
The PTI leader further said the use of police and special branch as well as open threats by the interior minister “are a clear contempt of the July 1 decision of [the] Supreme Court.”
The apex court announced on July 1st that the re-election for the post of chief minister of Punjab would take place on July 22 (tomorrow).
In the by-elections for the 20 constituencies of the Punjab Assembly held on Sunday, PTI emerged victorious after winning 15 out of 20 seats.
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The former planning minister’s announcement comes a day after Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi filed a contempt plea against Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, and Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz.
“The threatening statements by the incumbent Interior Minister have caused great fear and hostility towards members of the allied parties,” the petition stated.
It added that “the alleged contemnor may kindly be summoned, prosecuted and awarded punishment for violating the order.”
Transcript of Sanaullah’s statement submitted
During the hearing of the contempt petition filed by PML-Q leader Elahi earlier today, the transcript of Rana Sanaullah’s statement was submitted to the Supreme Court by PTI lawyers.
The PTI lawyers submitted the transcript of Sanaullah’s statement from his presser on July 18 and requested that the case hearing be fixed for today (July 21).
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The court had called for the newspaper report, the original transcript of the conversation held in the press conference, and the television talk show with the interior minister’s statement.
With input from Express Tribune