In what is being considered a major breakthrough in the deadlock between the PDM government and its rival PTI, the second round of negotiations on provincial elections is underway in committee room number 3 of the Parliament House.
The opposition delegation — formed on Wednesday night — consists of PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry, and Senator Ali Zafar.
Meanwhile, PML-N’s Ishaq Dar, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Azam Nazeer Tarar, and Sardar Ayaz Sadiq along with PPP’s Senator Yousuf Raza Gilani and Syed Naveed Qamar — both of whom were nominated previously — are representing the government.
حکومت اور پی ٹی آئی میں الیکشن پر مذاکرات کا دوسرا دور شروع، چیئرمین سینیٹ کی خصوصی شرکت
پی ٹی آئی ٹیم: علی ظفر، شاہ محمود قریشی،فواد چوہدری
حکومتی ٹیم : اسحاق ڈار،اعظم نذیر، یوسف گیلانی،سعد رفیق، کشور زہرا،طارق بشیر چیمہ
— Mughees Ali (@mugheesali81) April 28, 2023
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court — while hearing a PTI petition — had directed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold general elections in the Punjab Assembly on May 14. However, the government had rejected the apex court’s orders.
Read more: PM Shehbaz stresses parliament’s role in decision on elections
The Supreme Court on April 20 afforded a temporary respite to the country’s 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.
حکومت اور پی ٹی آئی میں انتخابات پر مذاکرات کا دوسرا دور شروع ہوگیا، پی ٹی آئی نے کل ہی حکومت پر واضح کیا تھا کہ ہفتے تک کا وقت ہے اسے طول نہیں دینگے۔۔۔اتوار سے پہلے سپریم کورٹ میں رپورٹ جمع کرائینگے pic.twitter.com/hB4ZC6NvYt
— Fahim Akhtar Malik (@writetofahim) April 28, 2023
On Thursday, the government and PTI held their first round of talks— which lasted for around two hours — and both sides informed each other about their top leadership’s stance. The delegation informed the government about PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s stance on elections and about how the elections should be conducted.
On the other hand, before the second round of talks today, PTI Chairman Imran Khan said that negotiations with the coalition government will only go forward if they are willing to dissolve the National Assembly forthwith.
“I have told Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Fawad Chaudhry to only go forward with the talks if the government is willing to dissolve the assembly immediately and hold elections,” Imran Khan said.
“There is no need to hold a further round of talks if they (govt) repeat the same talk of holding elections in September or October,” he added.
Read more: US Congressman advises Pakistan to obey SC ruling on Punjab election