ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s top court on Friday ordered a regulator to issue a schedule for general elections tonight and suspended a Lahore High Court (LHC) ruling that had stayed the appointment of returning officers (ROs) and district returning officers (DROs) from the bureaucracy.
The development comes a day after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) paused, following the Lahore High Court verdict, a training session for ROs and DROs, an exercise without which polls scheduled for Feb. 8 could be delayed. The move had led to widespread media speculation elections would not be held in time as the election regulator needs to issue the elections schedule by Friday night in order for political parties to have a 54-day window for electioneering.
“Do your job,” Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Qazi Faez Isa ordered the ECP on Friday, suspending the Lahore High Court order. “Issue the elections schedule tonight ... We will not allow anybody to derail the democracy.”
In the evening, Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja held a detailed meeting with the chief justice and other judges of the Supreme Court to reportedly discuss the Lahore High Court directive and ensuing situation. Later, the ECP filed a petition in the top court seeking an annulment of the Lahore High Court’s judgment.
The court also issued a contempt notice to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Barrister Umair Khan Niazi who had filed a petition in the Lahore High Court seeking the appointment of returning officers from the judiciary. The ECP has appointed over one thousand returning officers across the country to conduct the national polls. Their job is to ensure that the election process is administered effectively to ensure free and fair elections.
The top court later stopped the Lahore High Court from further hearings on the plea, saying it had passed the judgment in ‘undue haste,’ and adjourned the hearing for an indefinite time.
A caretaker government under interim Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar is running the country until the national election is held and a winning party can secure a parliamentary majority and select a new prime minister.
As it stands, questions surround the legitimacy of the election, whenever it is held, as former prime minister Imran Khan, the main opposition leader and arguably the country’s most popular politician, cannot fight this election.
Khan is currently jailed for three years after being convicted on graft charges and is barred from contesting any elections for five years.
His party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), won the last general election in 2018, and he became prime minister until his ouster in a no-confidence vote in parliament in 2022.
Pakistan’s top court directs regulator to issue general election schedule tonight
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Pakistan’s top court directs regulator to issue general election schedule tonight
- Supreme Court order puts an end to speculations regarding delay in holding of general elections
- Bars Lahore High Court from further hearings of plea on appointment of returning officers from judiciary
Pakistan to play India in T20 World Cup, government says
- Islamabad announced boycotting the Feb. 15 match in Colombo to protest the ICC’s exclusion of Bangladesh from the T20 World Cup
- Pakistan’s government says the decision to play India is taken to protect ‘spirit of cricket and to support the continuity of global sport’
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has cleared the country’s cricket team to play India in the T20 World Cup on Feb. 15, the Pakistani government announced late Monday, ending a week-long standoff.
Islamabad announced boycotting the Feb. 15 match in Colombo to protest the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) exclusion of Bangladesh from the T20 World Cup, following Dhaka’s decision to not play matches in India owing to security fears.
On Sunday, ICC Deputy Chairman Imran Khwaja arrived in Lahore for talks with Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Aminul Islam as the sport’s governing body strived to save the high-stakes T20 World Cup encounter.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi met PM Sharif late Monday and briefed him regarding the outcomes of high-level deliberations held between the PCB, Bangladesh board and ICC representatives, the Pakistani government said on X.
“The Government of Pakistan has reviewed the formal requests extended to the PCB by the Bangladesh Cricket Board, as well as the supporting communications from Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates, and other member nations. These correspondences sought Pakistan’s leadership in securing a viable solution to recent challenges,” the Pakistani government said.
“In view of the outcomes achieved in multilateral discussions, as well as the request of friendly countries, the Government of Pakistan hereby directs the Pakistan National Cricket Team to take the field on February 15, 2026, for its scheduled fixture in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.”
The BCB earlier thanked the PCB, ICC and all others for their positive roles in trying to “overcome recent challenges,” particularly thanking PCB Chairman Naqvi and Pakistani cricket fans for demonstrating “exemplary sportsmanship and solidarity.”
“We are deeply moved by Pakistan’s efforts to go above and beyond in supporting Bangladesh during this period. Long may our brotherhood flourish,” BCB President Islam said in a statement.
“Following my short visit to Pakistan yesterday and given the forthcoming outcomes of our discussions, I request Pakistan to play the ICC T20 World Cup game on 15 February against India for the benefit of the entire cricket ecosystem.”
The dispute stemmed from the ICC’s decision to replace Bangladesh with Scotland last month after Bangladesh refused to play tournament matches in India. Dhaka’s decision followed the removal of Mustafizur Rahman from the Indian Premier League (IPL). He was bought for $1 million by the IPL’s Kolkata Knight Riders, but on Jan. 3 the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) ordered Kolkata to release Mustafizur without a public explanation but amid regional tensions.
Pakistani cricket authorities subsequently announced boycotting the match against India at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Feb. 15. An India-Pakistan fixture is the sport’s most lucrative asset, generating a massive share of global broadcasting and sponsorship revenue.
“This decision [to play India in T20 World Cup] has been taken with the aim of protecting the spirit of cricket, and to support the continuity of this global sport in all participating nations,” the Pakistani government said.
“We remain confident that our team will carry the spirit of sportsmanship and national pride onto the field as they compete for global glory.”
