Members of the ruling coalition and opposition PTI on Friday resumed talks on holding elections, following the initiation of a much-awaited dialogue at the Parliament House a day ago.
\nThe second round of negotiations is under way in committee room number 3 of the Parliament House.
\nThe opposition delegation \u2014 formed on Wednesday night \u2014 consists of PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry and Senator Ali Zafar.
\nMeanwhile, the PML-N\u2019s Ishaq Dar, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Azam Nazeer Tarar and Sardar Ayaz Sadiq along with PPP\u2019s Senator Yousuf Raza Gilani and Syed Naveed Qamar are representing the government.
\nAhead of the second round of negotiations today, PTI Chairman Imran Khan \u2014 during an informal conversation with journalists at the Islamabad High Court \u2014 said that he had requested Fawad and Qureshi to initiate talks with the government only if the ruling party was prepared to immediately dissolve the assemblies and hold elections.
\nHe added, \u201cThere\u2019s no need to proceed if they insist on holding polls in September or October,\u201d with both leaders present during the conversation.
\nSeparately, Fawad said that the main objective of the negotiations was to recognise that the public was the \u201ccentre of power\u201d in Pakistan and move towards elections.
\n\u201cYesterday, talks were held in a pleasant environment,\u201d he tweeted. \u201cToday, we should move forward for the country by understanding each other\u2019s point of view.\u201d
\nFirst round of talks
\nOn Thursday, representatives from both sides held at least an hour-long meeting inside Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani\u2019s chamber to begin the negotiations.
\nNegotiations efforts are underway as per the Supreme Court\u2019s advice while a written order is awaited by it regarding elections in Punjab and KP \u2014 an issue on which there has been a weeks-long impasse between the ruling coalition, the opposition and the higher judiciary.
\nWith Jamiat-i-Ulema Islam-Fazl chief Mau\u00adlana Fazlur Rehman reiterating a day ago that his party would not be part of any negotiations with the PTI, the PPP and PML-N seem to have taken command of the talks.
\nGilani said after yesterday\u2019s meeting that the PTI would present its demands during today\u2019s meet-up, after which parties of the ruling coalition would be apprised about them and consulted.
\nIt was principally decided that matters would be resolved within the ambit of the Constitution, Dar had said alongside him.
\n\u00a0
\nElections impasse
\nEfforts to reach a consensus come against the backdrop of an impasse on elections, with the PTI seeking early polls \u2014 particularly in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where assemblies were dissolved in January \u2014 and the government maintaining that elections across the country be held on the same day in October.
\nEarlier this month, the Supreme Court \u2014 while hearing a PTI petition \u2014 had directed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold general elections to the Punjab Assembly on May 14. However, the government had rejected the apex court\u2019s orders.
\nAfter repeated back and forth last week, the Supreme Court on April 20 afforded a temporary respite to the country\u2019s main political parties, giving them time till April 26 to develop a consensus on the date for elections to the provincial and national assemblies, so they could be held simultaneously across the country.
\nHowever, on April 26, Shehbaz reiterated that simultaneous elections will take place in Octo\u00adber or November after the current National Asse\u00admbly completed its term on August 13, whereas parliament will have the final say regarding the initiation of talks with the opposition.
\nThe government wanted to talk to the PTI, he said, adding that there was an overwhelming opinion that the doors of dialogue should not be closed, but its format was yet to be decided. \u201cThe decision [regarding talks] has to be taken by parliament, not you or me,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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