Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday directed the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) and ruling coalition parties (PDM) to hold a consultation and decide a date for elections for provincial assemblies in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab.
The Supreme Court issued these directives while hearing the suo motu proceedings regarding the delay in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab polls.
A five-member SC bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Shah, and Justice Mandokhail is hearing the case.
The apex court directed PTI leaders Fawad Chaudhry and Shireen Mazari to consult with party chief Imran Khan, and lawyers of coalition partners to consult with their respective party leaders and update the court by 4 pm.
The orders came after the three ruling parties withdrew their plea they had filed for the formation of a full court for hearing the suo motu notice taken up by the apex court on the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab elections.
Lawyers’ arguments before SC bench
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had jointly filed a plea via Kamran Murtaza, Mansoor Awan, and Farooq H Naek respectively, two days after the apex court took suo motu notice.
At the outset of the case hearing, the attorney general for Pakistan informed the bench that he was ready to give arguments.
He also raised an objection to the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Abid Zuberi and said that his name had been removed from the judicial order.
At this, Chief Justice Bandial said that the court sees the bar as an institution.
He remarked that what is written in the court is not necessarily part of a judicial order; however, it becomes an order when the judges sign it.
Zuberi in his arguments, stated that in the past, the Supreme Court has declared that the polls should be held in 90 days.
At this, Justice Mandokhail remarked that the governors and president were bound to follow the Cabinet’s advice according to the Constitution.
He inquired whether the governors or president could give the election date on their own.
