The Supreme Court on Friday resumed hearing the Election schedule case following three-day negotiations between the government and the opposition PTI to agree on a specific date for nationwide elections.
Despite negotiations coming to an end on Tuesday, the PTI submitted a report to the court stating that no resolution was reached and requested that the court enforce its order to hold elections in Punjab on May 14. On the other hand, the government also submitted its reply to the court today, claiming “substantial progress” had been achieved in the talks.
In the last hearing on April 27, the three-member Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar — also made it clear to the negotiating parties that its April 4 order on Punjab Assembly elections had remained unchanged.
During the proceedings today, Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Awan, PPP lawyer Farooq H. Naek, PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi, PML-N’s Khawaja Saad Rafique and others were present.
At the outset of the hearing, the PPP counsel read out loud the coalition government’s report on talks with the opposition — which was submitted earlier today — in court.
Talks led to ‘major breakthrough’, govt tells SC
In the latest development, the federal government also submitted a report to the top court today about the outcome of the talks three days after the PTI furnished its report to the apex court, seeking the implementation of the SC’s order on holding elections in Punjab on May 14 “in letter and spirit”.
The PTI and the federal coalition concluded the make-or-break round of the much-awaited negotiations on polls on May 2. The talks began on the top court’s advice last week.
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar submitted the report through the attorney general.
In the reply filed by the government, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, it quoted the PTI’s committee acknowledging “the gravity of economic challenges being faced by Pakistan and agreed to negotiate on holding general elections to the National and all provincial assemblies on the same date”.
“The coalition partners also showed flexibility to reach a political settlement and considered dissolving the National and two provincial assemblies before the end of their constitutionally mandated terms,” the reply said.
It added that negotiations between both committees consequently led to a “major breakthrough” to end the political impasse, resulting in an understanding on some points including consensus that the general elections should be held on the same date.
The reply also added that the committees further agreed that the caretaker governments should be in place at both the federal and provincial levels for holding general elections “justly, fairly and in accordance with law and to provide level playing field to the leadership of all political parties to actively participate in the electoral process”.
“There is, however, no agreement on date of dissolution of the National and Provincial Assemblies of Sindh and Balochistan, and both committees had agreed on May 2 to resume negotiations after getting clearance from their respective leadership,” according to the minister.
The reply concluded that: “As is evident from the foregoing, significant progress has been made since the dialogue process began. The coalition partners believe that political issues can best be resolved through dialogue and are ready to resume the same in the larger national interest.”
Election impasse
Last month, the Supreme Court — while hearing a PTI petition — had directed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold general elections to the Punjab Assembly on May 14. However, the government had rejected the apex court’s orders.
After repeated back and forth last week, the Supreme Court on April 20 afforded a temporary respite to the country’s main political parties, giving them time till April 26 to develop a consensus on the date for elections to the provincial and national assemblies, so they could be held simultaneously across the country.
However, on April 26, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reiterated that simultaneous elections will take place in October or November after the current National Assembly completed its term on August 13, whereas parliament will have the final say regarding the initiation of talks with the opposition.
The government wanted to talk to the PTI, he had said, adding that there was an overwhelming opinion that the doors of dialogue should not be closed, but its format was yet to be decided. “The decision [regarding talks] has to be taken by parliament, not you or me,” he added.
Subsequently, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani had formed a committee with four members each from both the ruling coalition and the opposition for dialogue.
Dar, former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, PML-N’s Khawaja Saad Rafique, Azam Nazeer Tarar and Sardar Ayaz Sadiq along with PPP’s Syed Naveed Qamar represented the government in the negotiations. Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s Kishwar Zehra and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid’s Tariq Bashir Cheema were also included in the government’s negotiating team.
Meanwhile, the opposition delegation consisted of the party’s Vice Chairman Qureshi, Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry, and Senator Ali Zafar.
More to follow
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