Briefly: Pakistan’s Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that the province of Punjab’s local elections will take place on 14 May, after the country’s electoral commission sought to delay the vote until October.
The ruling is a big victory for former prime minister Imran Khan, whose party used its numbers to dissolve several local assemblies in January. Under Pakistan’s constitution, voting for a new assembly should’ve taken place within 90 days, but the electoral commission said the government hadn’t provided enough funds.
So the Supreme Court declared the delay unconstitutional and ordered the government to unlock funds for a new round of voting in May.
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Intrigue’s take: Imran Khan may have perfected the art of mischief-making, giving off some solid Jack Sparrow vibes lately. And it’s working for him: he remains the most popular political figure in the country.
But angry as he may be at how he was kicked out of office, each additional gambit tests Pakistan’s institutions in new ways. And in a country already on the brink, those tests could turn dangerous for all involved.
Also worth noting:
- Khan said he would agree to an election delay if the government would share its plans to hold free and fair general elections in October.
- On Tuesday, Pakistan’s central bank raised its benchmark interest rate to 21%, the highest since 1956, in an effort to tame 35% inflation.
