Controversy over elections in Pakistan, The Supreme Court postponed the hearing of the matter till April 27

The Shehbaz Sharif government has taken respite from the Supreme Court in the ongoing dispute over the date of general elections in Pakistan, assuring that it will hold talks with the opposition. But doubts remain whether she will actually hold talks with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the party of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

On Thursday, the dual stand of the ruling coalition Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) came to the fore in this regard. While the government assured the court of holding talks with PTI after Eid, PDM chairman Fazlur Rehman in a public statement opposed any talks with Imran Khan. 

The Supreme Court has now postponed the hearing of the matter till April 27. He took this step after being informed by the government that it has been decided between the government and the PTI that talks will be held on April 26.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had on Thursday directed the PDM and PTI to reach a consensus regarding the timing of the general elections in the country through mutual talks by 4 pm on Thursday. Along with this, the court made it clear that it would not withdraw its order to hold elections to the provincial assembly of Punjab on May 14.

As soon as the hearing of the case started on Thursday morning, in front of a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Justice Umar Ata Bandial, it was told by the government that PDM has made up its mind to hold talks with PTI after Eid.

But the court was not satisfied with this. Justice Bandial directed that the talks between the two parties should be held on Thursday itself and the result would be informed to the court by 4 pm.

Later in the afternoon, Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan and PTI's lawyer Farooq H Naik met the Chief Justice in his chamber.

After this, Naik told reporters that the Chief Justice has been informed that talks have started between the two sides. The Attorney General said that the court has agreed to give more time for talks. 

Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Ulema Islami (F) leader and PDM chairman Fazlur Rehman held a press conference. In this, he said that he would oppose any kind of talks with Imran Khan's party.

He said- 'The person who dissolved assemblies and brought Pakistan to today's condition, do you want us to go to him for talks. We do not accept this. Pointing to the proceedings going on in the court, he said- 'For us this is a completely non-political process.'

But after this, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the Foreign Minister and co-chairman of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), also held a press conference.

In this he stressed the importance of continuing dialogue between political parties. He said the ruling coalition has decided to hold talks with the opposition after Eid. An effective strategy will be chalked out for talks after Eid.