SC To Hear Case Regarding General Elections On Friday

The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday fixed the hearing of case regarding holding general elections of National Assembly and provincial assemblies on same date tomorrow (Friday) at 11:30am

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th May, 2023 ) :The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday fixed the hearing of case regarding holding general elections of National Assembly and provincial assemblies on same date tomorrow (Friday) at 11:30am.

A three-member SC bench comprising Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar would hear the case.

The court also issued written order of the hearing conducted on April 27.

According to the written order, "Today the learned Attorney General for Pakistan has apprised the Court about the communication between the Government coalition and the Opposition during the Eid holidays regarding the matter of general elections." He has further added that initial steps had been taken for nomination of the members of negotiating team from both sides and matters relating to their meeting.

On Court's query as to why the Chairman Senate has been involved, Farooq H. Naek, Sr. ASC, learned counsel for Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians, has submitted that the venue of the Senate was chosen for the reason that it is the House of Parliament where the Provinces have equal representation and all political parties are present therein. The role of the Chairman Senate will only be of a facilitator without substantive involvement.

The order further stated that Shah Mahmood Qureshi, member Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), informed that Chairman PTI had nominated him, Senator Ali Zafar and Fawad Chaudhary as the members of their team.

The Attorney General and Farooq H. Naek, had assured the Court that the Government wanted to commence negotiations as soon as possible and were willing to sit together with the PTI team either today or by tomorrow.

The Attorney General had also stated that the Government coalition would finalise the Names of their nominated members, it added.

The court order further stated that it appreciated the efforts of all parties to try to end the current political impasse and in particular their voluntary agreement to enter into negotiations to choose a single date for holding General Elections to the National Assembly and the four Provincial Assemblies.

It was made clear by the Court that the talks and negotiations 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. It was also made clear that the order of 04.04.2023 in Const. P.5 of 2023 remained unchanged.