Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has submitted a letter to the Supreme Court urging the implementation of the court’s order for holding elections in Punjab on May 14.
In a report to the apex court, the PTI stated that despite efforts by all parties, no constitutional solution was found within the constitution.
The development came after the conclusion of negotiations between the PTI and federal coalition on holding elections to the national and provincial assemblies on a single date under the supervision of caretaker setups.
While the finance minister leading the government side reported that both sides had agreed to hold elections, the PTI expressed regret that no decision was taken on their proposals.
PTI lawyers submitted a report on the government-PTI negotiations to the Supreme Court on Wednesday by PTI lawyers Faisal Chaudhry and Ali Bukhari.
The report stated that talks between the government and the PTI were held with full sincerity on April 27, April 28, and May 2 after the Supreme Court’s order.
According to the report submitted by PTI lawyers to the Supreme Court, the parties reached a consensus that political dialogue was crucial, and that political parties held the key to resolving all political issues.
“Both teams shall endeavor to hold this dialogue with full sincerity and try to arrive at a solution that is (a) in the best interest of the people and Pakistan and (b) in accordance with law and the Constitution,” the report highlighted.
It said that the parties also agreed not to use the dialogue as a delaying tactic and the talks have no bearing on the SC’s April 4 judgment until and unless an agreement within the confines of the Constitution is arrived at between the parties and such agreement is implemented.
The PTI recalled its earlier stance in the report which stated that elections to the assemblies should be held within 90 days, as per the SC’s previous decision.
“This being the constitutional mandate, there is no scope for changing this date by ordinary consent of the parties. The request was accordingly made to the PDM/alliance to abide by the constitutional provisions and the orders of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and hold the elections to the Punjab Assembly on 14.05.2023. It was also stressed that elections to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly be held forthwith as well.”
However, the government’s stance was that elections to the national and provincial assemblies should be held simultaneously.
After deliberations, the report continued, the PTI extended a proposal to the ruling alliance that it was willing to hold the elections across the country on the same date subject to different conditions.
The conditions mainly included dissolution of remaining provincial assemblies and the National Assembly by or before May 14. The PTI also demanded of elections to the NA as well as to the provincial assemblies of Sindh, Punjab, KP, and Balochistan be held together within 60 days of the dissolution of the national and provincial assemblies i.e. in the second week of July 2023.
In order to give a constitutional cover to the holding of the elections to the provincial assemblies of Punjab and KP beyond the period of 90 days, MNAs belonging to PTI will rejoin the NA and a one-time constitutional amendment validating the delay in elections beyond the period of 90 days for Punjab and KP assemblies shall be carried out by mutual consent of the political parties.
All the parties shall agree that the election results shall be accepted as a whole subject to individual grievances in accordance with the law.
An agreement in writing to the above effect shall be submitted before the SC in order to ensure that the implementation of the agreement was complied with by the parties in letter and spirit.
The PTI report went on to say that the government rejected its proposal.
