ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday clarified that talks between the government and the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) regarding the simultaneous holding of general elections for all provincial and national assemblies were not influenced by any direction or order from the apex court.
In a written order issued Thursday, the apex court emphasised that the decision-making process behind the proposed electoral changes was entirely up to the involved parties, and that the judiciary had no role in these negotiations.
The court stated that the talks between the two sides were “entirely to be their own effort, without any direction or order of the court in this regard in any manner.”
The Supreme Court has fixed further hearing of matters related to general elections tomorrow (Friday) at 11:30am.
The written order comes as the issue of elections has once again landed in the apex court following the failure of talks between the coalition government and the opposition PTI.
The clarification appears to serve as a reminder of the separation of powers and that the top court has not influenced any political discussions amid calls from lawmakers to respect the autonomy of each branch of government.
The order highlights the voluntary agreement between the government and PTI to negotiate a single date for holding general elections.
“The Court appreciates the efforts of all parties to try end the current political impasse and in particular their voluntary agreement to enter into negotiations to choose a singleConst. P. 9 of 2023 3 date for holding General Elections to the National Assembly and the four Provincial Assemblies,” the top court stated in the order.
The order emphasises that the negotiations between the government and PTI were entirely to be their own effort, without any direction or order of the Court in this regard in any manner.
“It was also made clear that the order P.5 of 2023 of 04.04.2023 in Const. Unchanged,” it added.
Meanwhile, the top court has fixed the hearing of matters related to general elections tomorrow (Friday) at 11:30am, it was reported on Thursday.
A day earlier, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had filed a petition in the apex court seeking a review of its order to conduct polls in Punjab on May 14.
In the plea, the commission maintained that changing the election programme was the solitary domain of the ECP under Section 58 of the Elections Act, 2017.
Later the same day, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) also filed a civil miscellaneous application (CMA) in the apex court praying that its order on holding the polls in Punjab on May 14 must be ensured.
In its application, the PTI requested the court to hold elections in Punjab on May 14 while submitting a report on the negotiations held between it and the government to decide the date of the elections.
The party informed the top court in its application that the government and PTI could not reach a solution within the Constitution on the Punjab Assembly election Pdates, “in spite of the best efforts of [the] parties”.
The former ruling party pleaded that the top court’s order for the Punjab Assembly elections to be held on May 14 should be “implemented in letter and spirit so that the Constitution is upheld and does not stand violated”.
