ISLAMABAD    -     The Supreme Court of Pakistan Thursday clarified that the ne­gotiations between the govern­ment and the opposition forc­es regarding the simultaneous holding of general elections for all provincial and national as­semblies were not influenced by any direction or order from the apex court.

“The order of April 4 for hold­ing elections in Punjab on May 14 remained unchanged,” the apex court order said.

The court stated that the talks between the two sides were "en­tirely to be their own effort, with­out any direction or order of the court in this regard in any man­ner." The apex court will today resume hearing of the petitions for holding general elections same day across the country.

In this matter, a three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Jus­tice Umar Ata Bandial and com­prising Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar on April 27 had heard the petition of Sadar Kashif Khan and others and the court had appreciated the efforts of all parties to try and end the current political impasse and in particular their voluntary agree­ment to enter into negotiations to choose a single date for holding general elections to the National Assembly and all the four provin­cial assemblies.

The clarification appears to serve as a reminder of the sepa­ration of powers and that the top court has not influenced any po­litical discussions amid calls from lawmakers to re­spect the autonomy of each branch of government. The order highlights the volun­tary agreement between the government and PTI to nego­tiate a single date for holding general elections. “The Court appreciates the efforts of all parties to try end the current political impasse and in par­ticular their voluntary agree­ment to enter into negotia­tions to choose a singleConst. P. 9 of 2023 3 date for holding General Elections to the Na­tional Assembly and the four Provincial Assemblies,” the top court stated in the order.