ISLAMABAD
\nThe Supreme Court on Thursday adjourned indefinitely the hearing of the petition seeking simultaneous elections in the country after hearing from all the sides about the prospects of the talks between the government and the opposition.
\nChief Justice Umar Ata Bandial declared that political parties should sit together and find a solution to the issue otherwise the court is there to act. He remarked the court had proposed political dialogue keeping in view the prevailing situation in the country. \u201cThe political atmosphere is bitter,\u201d he said.
\nThe Chief Justice remarked \u201cWe will issue an order, but there would neither be any directive nor any timeline regarding the talks.\u201d The court outrightly rejected PTI\u2019s request to set a timeframe for the talks with the government.
\nCJP Bandial remarked the court could not force the government to enter into dialogue with the opposition. \u201cThere is a proposal, not an order, to hold talks. For now, the court is not issuing any directive or timeline,\u201d he made it clear. The top judge observed that there is Constitution and the apex court\u2019s judgement if there would be no outcome of the talks.
\nThe CJP made these observations as head of a three-member Supreme Court bench, and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar, heard the same-day elections petition.
\nAs the proceedings were set into motion on Thursday, the court questioned government\u2019s approach towards holding talks on elections with CJP Bandial asking what steps the government has so far taken in this regard.
\nGovernment is dilly-dallying with the issue, he added.
\nThe Chief Justice maintained that politicians should themselves find solutions to the problems, adding \u201cthe Constitution and our order is there\u201d if the differences were not sorted out through talks.
\nA number of politicians and lawyers including PTI\u2019s Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, JUI\u2019s Mian Aslam Iqbal and Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan were present.
\nThe court once again did not allow Tehrik-e-Labbaik Pakistan\u2019s request to become a party in the case. Attorney General for Pakistan Mansoor Awan informed the justices that the first contact between the government and the opposition took place on April 19 and it was decided that a meeting will be held on April 26.
\nThe AGP further said that PML-N\u2019s Ayaz Sadiq and Khawaja Saad Rafique had met PTI\u2019s Asad Qaiser on April 25, however, the latter said he was not authorised to decide on the matter of talks. The CJP intervened and asked: \u201cAfter Asad Qaiser\u2019s refusal, was an attempt made to find out who is authorised for the talks?\u201d
\nMansoor Awan said despite differences, the government and PTI found a way forward and apprised the court about the committee formed by Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani for holding a political dialogue.
\nThe AGP said \u201cThe Senate chairman has asked both the government and the opposition to nominate four names each for the committee.\u201d He further said he had found out from the media that PTI\u2019s Shah Mehmood Qureshi was authorised for holding talks with the government.
\nThe CJP inquired: \u201cIn what capacity was the Chairman Senate contacted PTI?\u201d He also remarked that Sanjrani was neither the representative of the government nor the opposition, adding \u201cIf the government was serious about talks, it would have made efforts itself.\u201d
\nJustice Bandial observed \u201cThe court can\u2019t force the government into negotiations.\u201d He stressed the court only wanted implementation of the Constitution so that a way could be found out of the current crisis. \u201cWe don\u2019t need any explanations, tell us a solution,\u201d the CJP said, highlighting it would take Sanjrani\u2019s committee time to initiate the talks.
\nAt that point, PPP lawyer Farooq H Naek informed that court that all the parties in the ruling coalition had agreed on holding talks with the PTI and Senate was the only forum where all the political parties were present. He further stated that the Senate chairman was playing the role of a facilitator and talks would only be held by the political parties. \u201cThis is a political issue and will only be resolved by political leaders \u2026 only politicians should be allowed to decide the future of politics,\u201d Naek elaborated.
\nPTI\u2019s Shah Mehmood Qureshi came to the rostrum and reminded everyone that the apex court had provided the political leaders with a chance for consensus during the previous hearing. \u201cBut the PDM has still not reached a consensus regarding the talks,\u201d he claimed, adding the PTI is very seropis about the talks.
\nThe PTI leader disclosed no one had approached his party as yet. \u201cImran Khan had named me, Fawad Chaudhry and Ali Zafar for the talks,\u201d he announced, adding \u201cBut to date, no one has contacted me.\u201d
\nQureshi then informed the court that the Senate chairman called him yesterday regarding the committee for political dialogue. \u201cI asked him where the advisory given by the SC was \u2026 the Senate committee is just a delaying tactic.\u201d
\nQureshi further said yesterday\u2019s NA session was a violation of the parliament\u2019s rules, stressing a matter that was being discussed in the court could not be dragged into the assembly. \u201cI felt ashamed at hearing threatening language and tone in the parliament,\u201d he said.
\nIn response to Qureshi, Farooq Naek questioned who was looking down on the parliament and the court. \u201cWe can\u2019t agree with what Qureshi said. Give your names, we are ready to sit for talks tomorrow,\u201d he added.
\nThe CJP said one had to exercise patience when it came to holding a dialogue. \u201cThe Supreme Court never passed an order for talks, rather it was an advice. It will be business as usual if a consensus, for the protection of national interest and the Constitution, is not reached,\u201d CJP Bandial remarked.
\nThe chief judge inquired what \u201cis the science\u201d behind providing names for talks and if the government had nominated five members from its side. In reply, Farooq Naek said the government would finalise its names within three to four hours.
\nThe CJP hoped talks between the government and the PTI would be held today, and suggested Farooq Naek was included in the negotiations for \u201csmooth sailing\u201d of the dialogue process. AGP Mansoor Awan assured the apex court that efforts were being made to hold the first meeting, between the government and the PTI on Thursday.
\nThe CJP said political matters should be solved only by talks and adjourned the hearing. He said the court was not issuing any order or timeline and that a detailed verdict would be released later.
\nTalking to the media outside the court, Qureshi said the PTI was prepared to sit in the parliament today for talks. \u201cWe will be there only if the government is serious about the talks,\u201d he added. He stated that his party had already put forward the details of its committee for dialogue and demanded the government should do the same. He said the PTI feared the government would use the talks as a \u201cdelaying tactic\u201d.
\nMeanwhile, Fawad Chaudhry warned that the process of negotiations could not be prolonged. \u201cYou have to take a decision within two to three days, otherwise elections will be held as per the Constitution,\u201d he said.
\nIt is to be noted here that the court had ordered the political parties to hold consultations for consensus on same-day elections. The court had also ordered the government to release Rs21 billion by April 27 for elections in Punjab.
\nBefore Eid holidays, the CJP had declared that the Supreme Court would not alter the May 14 election date, urging all the political parties to hold consultations on same-day elections and inform the court about it.
\nThe court had directed the ruling coalition and the PTI to sit together and develop a consensus on elections by 4pm that day, but at the same time asserted that it would not go back on its order fixing May 14 as the date for elections to the Punjab Assembly.
\n\u201cIt has no objection to the negotiation process and holding elections on the same day across the country is a legal and constitutional question,\u201d stated the written order.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD The Supreme Court on Thursday adjourned indefinitely the hearing of the petition seeking simultaneous elections in the country after hearing from all the sides about the prospects of the talks between the government and the opposition. Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial declared that political parties should sit together and find a solution to the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-327884","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n