Daily Times

The Supreme Court Thursday clarified that negotiations between the ruling Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to end the political deadlock on the general election’s timeframe were initiated in a volunteer capacity and that the top court did not issue any direction in this regard. In a three-page verdict of the April 27 proceedings of the Punjab election delay case, the apex court said its April 4 verdict directing the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold Punjab elections on May 14 “remained unchanged”. “The Court appreciates the efforts of all parties to try to end the current political impasse and in particular their voluntary agreement to enter into negotiations to choose a single date for holding General Elections to the National Assembly and the four Provincial Assemblies,” read the verdict issued by a three-member bench led by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial. The apex court also clarified that the “negotiations between the two sides were entirely to be their own effort, without any direction or order of the Court in this regard in any manner”. “It was also made clear that the order of 04.04.2023 in Const. P.5 of 2023 remained unchanged,” the verdict added.