SC has no power to act as arbitrator between govt and PTI: PM

As the Supreme Court's deadline for talks with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) looms, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated on Wednesday that the top court had no power to act as an arbitrator on the issue of elections between the opposition and government. 

"The function of the Supreme Court is not that of a panchayat but to give judgments according to the Constitution and law," said PM Shehbaz in a televised address after meeting his coalition partners. 

The premier had called the meeting of the coalition partners today, as the deadline for talks with PTI, ordered by the Supreme Court, nears. The apex court was scheduled to hear a petition, seeking to hold general elections to national and provincial assemblies simultaneously.

During his address, PM Shehbaz said that a parliamentary committee would discuss the terms of talks between the ruling alliance and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) regarding holding elections across the country on the same day.

He said the door for negotiations should not be closed. "We can decide what the format of the talks will be. The parliamentary committee can create room for this."

The premier said the parliament had dealt with challenges in the past and taken constitutional and legal steps regarding the Supreme Court.

The situation was still challenging, he continued. Referring to the verdict of a three-member Supreme Court bench that ordered polls to the Punjab Assembly on May 14, he said the parliament did not accept the bench.

"The parliament did not accept that bench's decision. The unanimous decision was that we accept the four-three verdict," PM Shehbaz said, referring to the controversies regarding the bench's members.

However, the apex court wanted to continue hearing the elections case with the three-member bench, which has asked for details regarding election funds tomorrow, he noted.

"The parliament has dealt with Supreme Court verdicts in the past. It would prefer that the matter [of holding talks with the opposition on elections] also be brought to the house.

"The parliament would want its decisions to be respected."

The coalition partners had reached a consensus on same-day elections, he shared. "The decision has to be taken by the parliament, not you or me," he told the allies.

The National Assembly's term would come to an end on August 13, he said, adding that general elections could then be held in October or November.

Referring to former prime minister Imran Khan's claims, PM Shehbaz said the country was already facing problems before the PTI Chairman created more by saying he was ousted from power through a conspiracy by the United States.

"Our foreign relations were greatly damaged. The PTI instructed its provincial finance ministers to reject an agreement with the IMF (International Monetary Fund). All kinds of tactics were used to create anarchy. Even the armed forces were not spared."

Relations with the Fund have improved but are not satisfactory, he said.

Separately, a meeting of the federal cabinet decided to refer a Ministry of Finance summary for providing Rs21 billion to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for holding polls in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to parliament. 

Meeting among allies

Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) convener and other leaders of the ruling alliance attended the meeting.

Sources said that the meeting deliberated over the current political situation. Later, a legal team briefed the meeting on the deadline set by the apex court for the provision of poll funds to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

It may be noted that the government has just one day to talk to the PTI in order to reach a consensus on the issue of holding elections as per the apex court orders.

During the last meeting of the coalition partners, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari had suggested dialogue with the PTI but the PDM chief Fazlur Rehman outrightly rejected it.

Sources within Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) claim that the party leadership had asked Ayaz Sadiq to contact PTI’s Asad Qaiser on Friday and both agreed to meet on Wednesday (today) but PTI chief Imran Khan clearly said that the mandate for negotiations rested with Shah Mehmood Qureshi.