ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The second round of talks between the ruling coalition and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is set to take place later today (Friday) to develop a consensus on holding of elections in the country.
Both sides are at loggerhead with Imran Khan-led party seeking snap elections in the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where assemblies were dissolved by the PTI earlier this year.
However, the government, which came into power last year following the ouster of Imran Khan through no-confidence vote, is calling for holding polls on all national and provincial assemblies’ seats simultaneously in October.
The PDM government has also defied orders issued by the Supreme Court of Pakistan for release of Rs21 billion funds for Punjab and KP elections, which are slated to be held on May 14 in line with the court’s ruling.
During the hearing of petitions related to elections, the top court had recommended the both sides to engage in dialogue to develop consensus besides warning the government that its order for holding polls on May 14 was effective if both sides failed to reach an agreement.
The first round of talks was held at the Senate Secretariat where Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Fawad Chaudhry and Ali Zafar represented the PTI while the government side is represented by Mr Dar, Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar, Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ayaz Sadiq, Mr Gilani, Commerce Minister Syed Naveed Qamar, Kishwar Zahra and Muhammad Abubakr.
Sources said that the PTI stressed dissolution of the National Assembly (NA) as the PTI wanted the NA to be dissolved no later than July.
PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi, talking to the media, said political problems could be addressed with good intentions. “The solution will be sought following the constitutional provisions,” he added. The PTI wanted to move forward, he said, with country’s progress as the topmost agenda.
He went on to say that the government still needed time to deliberate. “We suggested them to take time and come back with a proposal,” he added.
Gilani said, “We would take a final decision after taking all the parties on board,” adding that talks were held, he said, in a good environment.
“We have to review the matters while remaining in the ambit of the constitution,” he added. “We have no demands,” said Mr Dar.
