Jago Times "English Edition" Best Online Newspaper
Members of the ruling coalition and opposition PTI on Friday resumed talks on holding elections in the country, following the initiation of a much-awaited dialogue at the Parliament House a day ago.
The second round of negotiations is under way 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, the 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 are representing the government.
Ahead of the second round of negotiations today, PTI Chairman Imran Khan — during an informal conversation with journalists at the Islamabad High Court — 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.
He added, “There’s no need to proceed if they insist on holding polls in September or October,” with both leaders present during the conversation.
Separately, Fawad said that the main point of the negotiations was to recognise that the public was the “centre of power” in Pakistan and move towards elections.
“Yesterday, talks were held in a pleasant environment,” he tweeted. “Today, we should move forward for the country by understanding each other’s point of view.”
First round of talks
On Thursday, representatives from both sides held at least an hour-long meeting inside Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani’s chamber to begin the negotiations.
Negotiations efforts are underway as per the Supreme Court’s advice while a written order is awaited by it regarding elections in Punjab and KP — an issue on which there has been a weeks-long impasse between the ruling coalition, the opposition and the higher judiciary.
With Jamiat-i-Ulema Islam-Fazl chief Maulana 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.
Gilani said after yesterday’s meeting that the PTI would present its demands during today’s meet-up, after which parties of the ruling coalition would be apprised about them and consulted.
It was principally decided that matters would be resolved within the ambit of the Constitution, Dar had said alongside him.
Meanwhile, insiders told Dawn that the PTI had put forth three key demands during Thursday’s session — the dissolution of the National Assembly (NA) and Sindh and Balochistan legislatures in May to pave way for general elections in July; the passage of a constitutional amendment for a one-time concession to delay polls beyond 90 days if the government wanted to go beyond the May 14 election date in Punjab; and, the withdrawal of the speaker’s order accepting the resignations of PTI MNAs to bring them back to the NA.
The government team sought some time to discuss the demands, the sources said.
Elections impasse
Efforts to reach a consensus come against the backdrop of an impasse regarding elections in KP and Punjab — where the provincial assemblies were dissolved earlier this year. While the PTI has been adamant about holding polls in the provincial legislatures, the government maintains its stance on holding polls across the country on the same day.
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court — while hearing a PTI petition — 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’s orders.
After repeated back and forth last week, 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.
However, on April 26, Shehbaz reiterated that simultaneous elections will take place in October or November after the current National Assembly completed its term on August 13, whereas parliament will have the final say regarding the initiation of talks with the opposition.
The 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. “The decision [regarding talks] has to be taken by parliament, not you or me,” he added.