Asif Ali Zardari, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman, has expressed his support for the Chief Justice’s call for dialogue among all political parties in Pakistan.
On Wednesday, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umer Ata Bandial suggested that the top court could modify the election date if all political parties agreed to engage in discussions. Zardari encouraged his allies and other political parties to collaborate in addressing the ongoing crises.
The former president revealed that political parties had already started talks to resolve election-related issues. He said that once the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf reached a consensus on the general election, the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf would also be consulted.
Zardari further stated that if the CJP allowed some time, conducting elections on a single day through consultations would be possible.
During the hearing on petitions seeking nationwide elections on the same day, CJP Bandial remarked that the court would mandate elections on May 14, provided that political parties agreed on dialogue.
“If political parties come together, the court can change the election date to facilitate them. In that case, elections will be held on May 14,” the CJP said, emphasizing the urgency of resolving the issue.
In response to the constitutional crisis, coalition partners held a high-level meeting at the Prime Minister’s House to discuss the country’s overall situation and plan their next steps. Chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the meeting resolved that after Eidul Fitr, leaders of all political parties would convene to continue the consultation process with both parliamentary and non-parliamentary parties, aiming to reach a consensus on the final decision.
The meeting also clarified that coalition parties were discussing holding elections, and the prime minister formed a committee.
The group stated, “As politicians, we never close the door on negotiations, as anyone who believes in democracy would never do so.” They added that the coalition government has always been open to serious, substantive, and constitutionally compliant discussions, emphasizing that “free, fair, and transparent elections are a constitutional requirement.”
