By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial on Monday called for the immediate resumption of election talks between the government and former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party to address the ongoing political impasse in the country.
The matter was discussed during a hearing of the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) plea to reconsider the court’s order to hold elections in the Punjab Assembly on May 14.
The hearing took place after the court-ordered deadline had passed, and the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) staged a protest against the judiciary outside the Supreme Court (SC), accusing it of favoring ousted premier Khan.
The bench, consisting of Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial and Justices Ijazul Ahsan and Munib Akhtar, had issued the order for holding elections in Punjab on May 14.
“You should revisit the negotiation process. People are losing their lives. Institutions are facing risks and threats… My advice to everyone is to play a role in bringing about a peaceful environment,” Chief Justice Bandial told the government’s top lawyer and the PTI lawyer during the hearing,
The dispute over the timing of elections dates back to April when the apex court ordered elections to be held in Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous province, on May 14. The controversy ensued after the PTI and its ally dissolved the provincial assemblies in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces in January, pressuring the government into holding early elections.
According to the constitution, elections must take place within 90 days of dissolving an assembly. However, the government disregarded the court’s order and insisted on conducting nationwide polls on the same date. It also blocked a court directive to allocate Rs21 billion in funds to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for the Punjab elections.
Previous hearings of the case also prompted the court to urge the government and the PTI to resolve the political deadlock through negotiations, resulting in talks between both sides. However, negotiations faltered last week when Prime Minister Khan was arrested in a land scam, leading to nationwide protests that turned violent.
The Chief Justice asked Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan why negotiations were not being held between the government and the PTI.
“You (AGP) should look at the negotiation process again. We don’t want to get into political matters, and we don’t want to hear anything. We hope that negotiations will start again and a solution will be reached.”
Referring to an ongoing protest by the ruling government alliance, the PDM, Chief Justice Bandial remarked on the chaotic scene, stating that it seemed as if the government had failed.
“Look at the situation outside the Supreme Court. What is happening outside, who will implement the Constitution? People are scaling the gates, and the government is aiding them,” the Chief Justice said.
“National institutions and assets are being set ablaze. Look at what has been happening in the country for the past four or five days. Despite this, we are still working.”
The court adjourned the hearing until May 23 and issued notices to the AGP, as well as the advocate generals of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
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