ISLAMABAD , May 4, 2023: The case of elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had been fixed for hearing in the Supreme Court on Friday.
The SC had scheduled the elections’ case for hearing tomorrow. A three-member bench of the apex court will hear the case at 11:30 am.
In connection with the hearing of the election case in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a three-member bench of the apex court will be headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umar Ata Bandial.
On Wednesday, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) moved the apex court to hold elections in Punjab on May 14 while submitting a report on the negotiations held between the PTI and the PDM-led government on elections.
Both sides, earlier, walked away with holding elections on one day without reaching a consensus on a date.
The miscellaneous plea, filed by PTI’s negotiating team comprising PTI vice chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi, PTI senior vice president Fawad Chaudhry and Senator Ali Zafar stated that it was necessary to hold elections in Punjab on May 14 in line with the SC’s orders to prevent dissidence from the constitution. “On April 19, the apex court had recommended political stakeholders to hold negotiations to forge a strategy on holding elections,” the plea added.
The plea stated that both sides held negotiations on April 27, 28, and May 2 that resulted in a consensus on three points. “Three points include that both sides agree that political parties hold the key to political deadlocks, that there will be no effect on SC’s order of April 4 until an agreement is forged and implemented, and that negotiations will not be used as a delaying tactic,” the plea added.
The PTI had been of the view that elections should be held within 90 days of the dissolution of assemblies and urged the government to hold elections in Punjab on May 14 and in KP too, stated the plea. “The PDM contended that elections should be held simultaneously in October after the dissolution of NA in August,” it added.
The PTI, after discussing the matter at length, moved a proposal to hold elections on one day on four conditions, the plea read.