Pakistan SC orders provincial votes

Pakistan's Supreme Court yesterday ordered that elections in two provinces should go ahead by May 15 despite government reluctance to hold the votes now as it struggles with an economic crisis and a political challenge from the opposition.

Ousted prime minister Imran Khan has been pushing for assembly elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces as part of a campaign to force an early general election that he has waged since being forced from office a year ago after losing a vote of confidence.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif  rejected Khan's call for an early election and his government had backed an election commission delay in the votes in the two provinces to October 8. Khan's party hailed the top court ruling.