In a positive development, the ruling Pakistan Democratic Movement and the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have agreed on holding general elections across the country on the same date.
\nThe development came late Tuesday after the negotiating teams of the both sides held third round of talks aimed at ending a deadlock over general elections timing at the Parliament House in Islamabad.
\nThe head of the government negotiating team, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, told the media that consensus could not be evolved on the date of the general elections.
\n\u00a0
\nHowever, he confirmed that both sides had agreed that the polls should be held simultaneously across the country. He also said both sides had shown flexibility in their positions.
\n\u201cHopefully, if they proceed with sincerity, the next phase will be passed successfully,\u201d the financial czar added.
\nThe meeting took place at the Parliament House in Islamabad, with Shah Mehmood Qureshi leading his delegation, which comprised Fawad Chaudhary and Senator Ali Zafar.
\nThe government team comprised former prime minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, FinMin Dar, Law Minister Senator Azam Nazir Tarar, Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique, Minister for Commerce Naveed Qamar, Minister for National Food Security and Research Tariq Bashir Cheema, and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan Kishwar Zahra.
\n‘No breakthrough’In conversation with journalists, Qureshi said the PDM wants simultaneous elections, and the Supreme Court has also asked political parties to show flexibility in making decisions on the staging of polls.
\nThe former foreign minister added although there was “no breakthrough”, both sides have agreed that they respect the Constitution and would try to find a middle ground so that it isn’t violated.
\nQureshi said that the PTI delegation has proposed that since Supreme Court’s decision is in line with the law, a one-time exemption should be allowed through amending the Constitution for holding the polls simultaneously after 90 days \u2014 the time limit for staging polls once an assembly is dissolved.
\n‘Election should be held between Eid ul Adha, Muharram’According to the reports\u00a0PTI, in a document, proposed that the elections should be held between Eid ul Adha and the holy month of Muharram \u2014 which will fall between July and August.
\n“The elections can also be held in the second or third weeks of August,” the PTI’s document proposed. The party will send its draft to the Supreme Court, while both sides have decided to begin consultations with their top leadership over the elections
\nMembers of the ruling coalition and opposition PTI met again at the Parliament House on Tuesday (today) for a third round of crucial election talks.
\nThe talks are currently under way inside a hall at the Parliament House.
\nThe exercise was commenced last week on the Supreme Court\u2019s advice for a breakthrough in a weeks-long deadlock between the government and the PTI.
\nPML-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 have been representing the government in the negotiations.
\nMeanwhile, the opposition delegation consists of PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry and Senator Ali Zafar.
\nSpeaking to the media upon his arrival at Parliament House today, Qureshi said \u201cthe PTI\u2019s conditions will be known to all after today\u2019s talks\u201d.
\nTo a question about \u201cmistakes\u201d from both sides during the course of the negotiations, Qureshi maintained that the PTI had made none. \u201cWe are proceeding seriously and honestly,\u201d he said.
\nEarlier, members of the PTI\u2019s negotiating team held a meeting to determine the plan of action and strategy for the meeting.
\nMeanwhile, PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari also called on Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman \u2014 who has opposed the talks \u2014 at his residence in Islamabad.
\nDuring the second round of the dialogue on Friday, leaders from both sides had tabled their proposals, which the PTI\u2019s delegations intended to discuss with its leadership and the government representatives with their allies.
\nFollowing the meeting, Dar had said while speaking to the media that Tuesday\u2019s (today) dialogue would be the \u201calmost final round\u201d of the negotiations.
\nWhile both sides have come to the table at Parliament in an attempt to reach a consensus on the issue of elections, they continue to argue elsewhere.
\nFor one, the government has already termed PTI Chairman Imran Khan\u2019s demand for the dissolution of the assembly by May 14 \u2018impractical\u2019, while the latter hitherto has not shown flexibility in this regard.
\nA day ago, he vowed not to get \u201ctrapped\u201d in the government\u2019s plans to hold elections in September and warned that his party would take to the streets if the Supreme Court\u2019s order to hold polls in Punjab on May 14 was violated.
\nMeanwhile, Federal ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Javed Latif and Khawaja Asif went public with their opposition to the talks on Monday, prompting Qureshi to demand a \u201cclear response\u201d from the ruling coalition and warn of taking to the streets if negotiations ended up being an \u201cexercise in futility\u201d.
\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, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif 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 had 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.
\nSubsequently, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani had formed a committee with four members each from both the ruling coalition and the opposition for dialogue.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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