SC asks political parties to work out Punjab, KP #polls’
ISLAMABAD (MNP) – The Supreme Court of Pakistan has directed the political parties – both in power and opposition – to sit together to work out the date for the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa elections.
The court asked the stakeholders to consult their respective leaders and reach a consensus. The court will now resume hearing in the suo motu case at 4pm. Earlier in the day, the court resumed hearing of the suo motu case regarding the delay in the elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Tuesday.
A five-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, is hearing the case.
Previously, the case was being heard by the nine-member bench but it split on Monday into a five-judge bench after four judges – Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Syed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Athar Minallah – recused themselves from hearing the case.
The latest directive has come after three ruling parties have withdrawn the plea for formation of the full bench to hear the all-important case. The PML-N, the PPP and the JUI-F had jointly filed a plea which they withdrew during Tuesday’s hearing.
