Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial said on Friday that the Supreme Court would not “sit idle” on its order on holding elections in Punjab on May 14 if the talks between the government and the PTI failed.
He passed these remarks as the top court resumed hearing the elections schedule case following three-day negotiations between the federal coalition and the opposition to agree on a specific date for nationwide polls.
After the negotiations came 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 April 4 order regarding elections in Punjab.
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.
