Pakistan Supreme Court warns of action against Nawaz Sharif if Chief Election Commissioner is not appointed

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Supreme Court today threatened to issue notices against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah if they failed to appoint a permanent Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) by its December 5 deadline.

The apex court said it would consider issuance of notices against Sharif and Shah on December 8 if a permanent CEC was not appointed by December 5.

A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk, was hearing the case about the appointment of a permanent CEC.

Attorney General Salman Butt was unable to convince the court in writing that the CEC post would be filled by December 5, the Dawn reported.

Earlier yesterday, the court had directed Butt to provide assurance to the apex court by today that the appointment of a new CEC would be made before the court's December 5 deadline expires.

Butt told the Supreme Court that sincere efforts were under way to appoint a new CEC by the Dec 5 deadline.

The court also said that its previous decision to withdraw Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali of the apex court on December 5 from the post of CEC would remain if the government and the opposition did not honour the court's deadline.

The hearing of the case was subsequently adjourned to December 8.

The CEC office has been vacant for over 16 months after the retirement of Fakhruddin G Ibrahim.