Parties urge apex court to restrict itself to interpreting Constitution

ISLAMABAD: Urging the judiciary to confine itself to only interpreting the Constitution, a multi-party conference on Wednesday agreed that elections should be held across the country on the same day and urged all political forces to decide a date through dialogue.

The participants of the conference, organised by the Awami National Party, expressed regret over “a judicial crisis and divide in the Supreme Court” and blamed the lack of formation of a full court and the denial of a 4-3 majority decision on Punjab elections for the ongoing crisis.

In view of the prevailing economic crisis and unprecedented hike in the prices of food, gas and electricity, the forum called for a new charter of the economy.

Except for the PTI, representatives of all mainstream political parties, including PML-N, PPP, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl and Jamaat-i-Islami, attended the conference.

The conference took place a day after the PTI and the ruling alliance failed to develop a consensus on a date to hold simultaneous elections across the country. On Wednesday, the PTI also submitted a report to the Supreme Court on the negotiations with the government.

A joint statement issued after the multi-party conference said the current political, economic and judicial crisis had created uncertainty in the country.

“If the politics ends, parliamentary and constitutional supremacy will be under threat. The sovereignty of the Constitution must be ensured at any cost,” it said.

Published in Dawn, May 4th, 2023