Islamabad (Web Desk): Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial on Friday said that the Supreme Court (SC) would use the Constitution to implement its order on holding elections in Punjab on May 14 if the talks between the government and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) failed.
The CJP passed these remarks as the top court resumed hearing the petition regarding holding election across the country on same day.
A three-member SC bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar heard the the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) petition that challenged the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) order to hold Punjab elections in October.
A petition was also filed by a citizen, Sardar Kashif Khan, who nominated the federal government, the ECP, and major political parties as respondents, seeking the holding of polls on the same date across the country.
During today’s proceedings, the chief justice said that the government and the PTI could continue the negotiations “if both the parties were interested”.
Expressing displeasure over their “lack of interest” in a substantial dialogue, the CJP said that the court only had to see if both sides could agree on a date for elections, adding that the SC’s responsibility was to uphold the law and Constitution.
The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)-led government and the opposition PTI held three rounds of talks to reach a consensus on election date.
On Wednesday, the PTI submitted a report before the apex court on negotiations with the PDM government, requesting the top court to ensure implementation on its April 4 judgement regarding holding elections to the Punjab Assembly on May 14.
Meanwhile, the government also submitted its reply to the court today, claiming that “substantial progress” had been achieved in the talks.