Shehbaz Sharif says SC has no power to act as arbitrator between govt and PTI

As the Supreme Court's deadline for talks with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) looms, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Wednesday that the top court has no power to act as an arbitrator on the issue of elections between the opposition and government, a media report said. 

"The function of the Supreme Court is not that of a panchayat, but to give judgments according to the Constitution and law," Sharif said in a televised address after meeting his coalition partners, The News reported. 

The premier had called the meeting of the coalition partners on Wednesday, as the deadline for talks with PTI, ordered by the Supreme Court, nears. 

The apex court is scheduled to hear a petition, seeking to hold general elections to national and provincial assemblies simultaneously.

During his address, Sharif said that a parliamentary committee will discuss the terms of talks between the ruling alliance and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) regarding holding elections across the country on the same day.

He also said the door for negotiations should not be closed. 

"We can decide what the format of the talks will be. The parliamentary committee can create room for this," he said.

The premier said the Parliament had dealt with challenges in the past and taken constitutional and legal steps regarding the Supreme Court, The News reported.

The situation is still challenging, he continued. Referring to the verdict of a three-member Supreme Court bench that ordered polls to the Punjab Assembly on May 14, he said the Parliament did not accept the bench's decision.

"The Parliament did not accept that bench's decision. The unanimous decision was that we accept the four-three verdict," Sharif said, referring to the controversies surrounding the bench's members, The News reported.