ISLAMABAD (Agencies): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has convened a meeting of the coalition parties for consultation in wake of prevailing political situation as the Supreme Court is set to resume hearing on petition seeking simultaneous elections in the country on tomorrow (April 27).
Sources said that the meeting will be held on Wednesday and all parliamentary leaders of the coalition parties are expected to attend it at the Prime Minister’s House. The premier would hold consultation regarding dialogue with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Punjab elections.
It is pertinent to mention that before Eidul-Fitr, a three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar has granted one week to the political parties to develop a consensus on the date for holding national and provincial elections simultaneously.
The top court had also sought a progress report from them on April 27 about the meeting of political leaders scheduled to be held on April 26. The bench had issued the directives while hearing petitions seeking elections across the country on the same day, a key demand by the coalition government. However, the PTI is calling for snap polls in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where it had dissolved the assemblies earlier this year.
In April 20, the top court bench has issued a five-page order saying, “The Attorney General for Pakistan along with senior Advocate Supreme Court Farooq H. Naek met the Bench in Chambers and apprised them of deliberations amongst the senior Cabinet members of the Government and their interaction with a senior officer bearer of the PTI”.
It has been further stated in the order that AGP and Advocate Naek sought time for consultation with the political leaders after Eid-ul-Fitr saying, “They submitted that a recess is being taken on account of Eid-ul-Fitr holidays because several political leaders and party heads have already left or leaving Islamabad for their hometowns to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr. However, a meeting has been scheduled amongst the said leaders on 26.04.2023”. Later, the bench adjourned hearing of the matter till April 27.
During hearing of the matter on April 20, the Supreme Court bench has rejected a decision by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to delay elections in Punjab, terming it as unconstitutional. Earlier, the ECP had rescheduled elections in Punjab for May 14. It is pertinent to mention that Constitution stipulates that elections must be conducted within 90 days after an assembly is dissolved whereas Punjab’s Assembly was dissolved in January this year.
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