Islamabad: After learning that a meeting between the government and the PTI had been scheduled for April 26, the Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday postponed the hearing of a petition requesting simultaneous general elections for all national and provincial assemblies until April 27. The federal coalition and the PTI were given until 4pm today by the top court to come to an agreement on the country’s elections. The Punjab Assembly elections were set for May 14 by an order that was also made clear that it would not be changed.
The directives were issued by a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar.
During today’s hearing, the coalition parties told the court that a dialogue with the opposition was planned after Eid, but Justice Bandial instructed the government to hold the talks today.
However, the proceedings — which were to commence at 4pm — did not resume after the three-judge bench did not appear in the courtroom. But Farooq H. Naek, who was representing the PPP, and Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan met with CJP Bandial in his chambers.
Around 5:30pm, Naek told reporters that the CJP had been informed that dialogue had been initiated with the PTI.
Meanwhile, AGP Awan said: “It was decided today to give each other some time.”
In the written order, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, the court said: “Having heard the positive statements of political leadership of the country representing all major political parties with respect to the simultaneous holding of general elections of the National Assembly and four provincial assemblies gives cause for optimism that they would agree to an election date sooner rather than later.”
The court also said that it was “impressed” to note that all political leaders had affirmed their fidelity to the Constitution which was “supreme and must be adhered to”.
“We are cognisant that if political dialogue extends to address all grievances, then it is likely to be a lengthy process and the correct forum for that is the political arena and political institutions. However, we did not find any reservations to the negotiations being centred solely on a one-point agenda, namely, consensual fixation of a date for holding of general elections of the National Assembly and four provincial assemblies which is a constitutional and legal question,” the order said.
It went on to say that it was important that such a result is reached “expeditiously” as the court had already fixed May 14 as the date for polls in Punjab. The SC said that the judgement “holds the field” and its ruling was, therefore, binding on all judicial and executive authorities in the country under Article 189 and Article 190 of the Constitution.
The court said the proposal for holding the first meeting of all political parties was “appreciated and welcomed by the court”.
It went on to say that the hearing was adjourned till 4pm and the AGP was directed to report the progress of the matter in chambers. “Thereafter, the learned AGP along with Farooq H. Naek […] met the bench in chambers and apprised them of deliberations amongst the senior cabinet members of the government and their interaction with a senior officer bearer of the PTI.
“They submitted that a recess is being taken on account of Eidul Fitr holidays because several political leaders and party heads have already left or leaving Islamabad for their hometowns to celebrate Eidul Fitr. However, a meeting has been scheduled amongst the said leaders on April 26, 2023,” the order said, adding that it should be informed of the progress when the hearing resumed on April 27.
