Islamabad, May 6 (PTI) Despite pressure from the opposition to hold early general elections in Pakistan, the ruling alliance is not ready to go to polls before the retirement of the current chief justice Umar Ata Bandial, a media report said on Saturday.
Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Bandial, 64, is set to retire on September 16 this year.
Justice Bandial is scheduled to be succeeded by Justice Qazi Faez Isa, who is the second senior-most judge in the apex court.
The ruling coalition has been preparing for an election date any time after September 16, The News quoted an informed source within the ruling Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) as saying.
CJP Bandial is said to be close to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party chief and former prime minister Imran Khan. Hence, the ruling alliance wants to delay the election until his retirement.
The source also ruled out extending the term of Parliament as has been indicated in the past by certain ruling coalition leaders. “We will not go beyond August 13,” the source said.
The present National Assembly will complete its term on August 13. Going beyond this date, it is said, will badly damage the ruling coalition politically.
If the PDM and PTI continue to talk to reach an agreement on an election date, dissolution of the National Assembly can be possibly done in July but not in June in any manner, the source was quoted as saying.
It is said the government will not compromise on the budget, which it wants to present and get approved by the parliament in line with the limitations set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The budget, it is said, cannot be left for the caretaker government as the ruling coalition fears the interim regime will not be able to deal with the IMF at such a critical juncture where the country cannot be risked to default.
He dispelled the impression that a popular elections budget violating the terms of the IMF will be presented.
The PTI also wants a budget that is not violative of any conditions set by the IMF.
PTI leader Hammad Azhar in a tweet last Friday said: “The budget for next fiscal year must be devised sensibly and in consultation with the multilateral.” “It is imperative that Finance Minister Ishaq Dar stops playing games with the economy. He has already inflicted massive damage. The budget for next fiscal year must be devised sensibly and in consultation with the multilateral,” he had tweeted.
The tweet shows the PTI, which is expecting to form its government after the next general elections, fears any further deviation from IMF conditions will make it extremely difficult for the next government to handle the already fragile economy.
Regarding talks between the PDM and PTI, the source said the two issues are required to be settled by them.
Firstly, the date of the election and, secondly, a written agreement that both sides would accept the results of the elections, no matter who loses and who wins.
Regarding the election date, the source said it could be anywhere after September 16.
He said the government had the information that PTI wanted early elections in order to amend the Constitution for extending the retirement date of judges of the Supreme Court from 65 to 68.
The purpose, the source claims, was to continue with the incumbent Chief Justice of Pakistan and delay the appointment of Justice Isa as CJP for three years. “We will not let it happen,” the source told the News.
The Supreme Court had asked the government and the PTI to sit together for talks.
The apex court had already given May 14 as the date for elections in Punjab and the two sides should agree sooner on a new date to postpone the Punjab polls.
The main opposition party PTI is determined to press for polls in the provincial legislatures, but the government maintains its stance on simultaneous elections across the country. PTI SH PY PY PY
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.