A new wave of legal petitions against the Election Commission of Pakistan(ECP) has emerged on the horizon in what appears to be a strategy to force general elections in the country with the help of judiciary —as the PDM-led government drags its feet on going to the electoral.

A ‘concerned citizen’ filed a contempt of court petition before the Lahore High Court on Monday against Punjab governor, ECP and others over their ‘failure’ to announce the date for Punjab assembly election within the stipulated time.

The petition says that under a LHC order the Punjab governor and ECP should have announced the date for election by Sunday, February 12, 2023, but they failed to do so.

Last week, the LHC ruled that the ECP and the Punjab governor must announce an election date immediately and hold the election for Punjab assembly within 90 day.

The petition from the concerned citizen, Munir Ahmed, via Advocate Azhar Siddique says that since the governor and the ECP have failed to implement the order, they must be held in contempt of court.

Another similar petition is being filed by PTI leader Fawad Chaudhary.

Speaking to reporters in Islamabad, Chaudhry said that he is going to file a contempt petition against the ECP.

Fawad Chaudhry was arrested earlier this month for issuing ’threats“ to ECP members and their families and calling ECP officials ‘munshi’ – Urdu for clerk.

He said police had failed to submit a challan – police report – in his case within 14 days as the law mandated.

Chaudhary also made an interesting reference to his Jhelum domicile, saying if an MNA and his supporters from Jhelum were traitors then who was a patriot in the country. The Pakistan military draws several of its officers from Jhelum.