Page 1 - Pakistan Link - April 21, 2023

Vol. 33/16 Shawwal 1, 1444 AH Friday, April 21, 2023 US & Canada $1.00

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Supreme Court Stays Firm but Leaves

Room for Consensus

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court
said on Wednesday it was ready to
show flexibility, provided political
parties came to a consensus on elec-
tions, but at the same time made According to an official statement, a high-level
it clear that it was difficult for the consultative meeting of the ruling parties held at
court to go back on its order fixing the Prime Minister House reviewed the country’s
situation in detail and held consultations on future
May 14 as the date for elections to strategies on constitutional and legal issues
the Punjab Assembly.
Confident Polls Will Not Be A three-judge SC bench, head- Coalition Govt Plans
Held on May 14th, PML-N ed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) National Dialogue after Eid
Umar Ata Bandial, also issued no-
Issues No Tickets tices to the PTI, PML-N, PPP, JUI- ISLAMABAD: A high-level meeting,
F, MQM-P, BNP-Mengal, Awami presided over by Prime Minister She-
LAHORE: Based on ‘assurances’ from National Party, Balochistan Awami The Chief Justice highlighted the importance of May 14, saying the date was round the corner hbaz Sharif, has decided to convene a
powerful quarters that May 14 elections to Party, PML-Q, the law secretary, and that the 90-day constitutional obligation should also be respected and complied with meeting of heads of parties in the ruling
Election Commission of Pakistan coalition after Eidul Fitr to take to the
(ECP), Attorney General for Paki- ers for Thursday’s hearing. provided in the law, including spe- next stage the already initiated nation-
stan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan In view of the time constraints, cial messenger, as well as through al consultation process with all parties
and Jamaat-i-Islami, asking the par- the court office was ordered to send electronic and print media. within and outside parliament.
ties to send their senior office-bear- the notices through different modes (Continued on page 12) (Continued on page 17)

Ruling Allies Say No to Talks ‘At Gunpoint’

The submission of no party tickets by PML-N chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who
aspirants means that if the elections are held, the
party will have two choices — either to boycott the also heads the Pakistan Democratic
process or ask candidates to contest independently Movement, termed dialogue be-
with its support - Dawn tween political forces as mandated
by the court “talks at gunpoint”.
the Punjab Assembly are nowhere in sight, Addressing a press conference,
the Sharifs have not awarded party tickets the PPP chairperson said, “The PPP leader Aitzaz Ahsan said no one, including
to any aspirant, prompting the rival PTI to heads of all coalition parties, includ- the prime minister and army chief, could defy the
claim that PML-N has lost respect among ing myself, disagree with the Su- Supreme Court order about holding elections in
Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
the masses by opting to boycott the polls. preme Court’s order regarding talks
Thursday was the last day for submitting under the court’s supervision and Lawyers’ Moot Gives
party tickets to the Election Commission of consider the order as conducting of
Pakistan for allotment of electoral symbols. talks with a gun to [our] heads.” Constitution Primacy over
The submission of no party tickets by “The heads of all coalition parties, including myself, disagree with the Supreme In a reference to the ongoing Parliament
PML-N aspirants means that if the elections Court’s order regarding talks under the court’s supervision and consider the order push within the ruling coalition to
are held, the party will have two choices — ei- as conducting of talks with a gun to [our] heads,” says Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari hold talks with the PTI, Mr Bhutto- LAHORE: A lawyers’ roundtable confer-
ther to boycott the process or ask candidates Zardari said he was hopeful that he ence on Saturday questioned the oft-re-
to contest independently with its support. ISLAMABAD / DERA ISMAIL duct elections in Punjab on May 14, would be able to convince the rul- peated argument of legislators about the
The PML-N has told aspirants that KHAN: Parties in the ruling co- saying that talks with the PTI could ing allies for talks with the opposi- supremacy of parliament, declaring that it
since Punjab elections seem doubtful in alition have rejected the Supreme not be held under the court’s watch. tion, but the top court’s intervention is, in fact, the Constitution that is supreme.
May, they should not be worried about Court order calling on political par- Pakistan Peoples Party Chair- made his job to forge consensus Prominent among those who spoke at
party tickets. ties to reach a consensus on a date man Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and among allies harder. the conference titled “Sanctity of the
(Continued on page 12) for polls in light of its order to con- Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) (Continued on page 12) (Continued on page 12)

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