Supreme court cannot force political parties for talks on elections: CJP
ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial said that the court cannot force the political parties to hold talks for elections.
The CJP stated this on Thursday while concluding today’s hearing of the suo motu case on delay in elections.
“We are not forcing anyone but just finding out a way to uphold the Constitution,” the CJP said.
On Thursday morning, the three-member bench of the apex court resumed the hearing of the elections case. The chief justice, however, suddenly closed the hearing saying that the court will issue an appropriate order.
Earlier, Attorney General of Pakistan Mansoor Awan informed the judges that the Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani would form a committee having representatives from both sides of the aisle to evolve a consensus to hold elections of national and provincial assemblies on one date.
The three-judge bench suggested the political parties evolve consensus on one date for elections in the national interest, respect of the Constitution, and welfare of the people. “Otherwise,” the court feared, “things would stay the same”.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s lawyer, Ali Zafar, urged the court to mandate a time limit for holding negotiations for political consensus.
However, the chief justice said that they are not giving a deadline to the proposed committee.
Meanwhile, a senior PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi told the bench that the government was not serious in dialogue as no one contacted him since the last hearing.
He admitted that the Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani had called him on the insistence of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Qureshi also told the court that Sanjrani had sought five names from him for the proposed committee.
But, the PTI leader maintained, he had reservations about the formation of a committee comprising senators. Upon this, the AGP said that the formation of the committee could be reviewed.
AG Awan also assured the court that the government will “try to get both sides of the committee to hold their first meeting today”.
Soon after hearing the arguments from both sides, the court completed the proceedings for the day.
“A written order will be issued for this case,” the CJ said adding that “the court will issue appropriate orders”.
