By Iftikhar Mashwani
ISLAMABAD : The government and opposition PTI wrapped up the second round of crucial election talks at the Parliament House on Friday, with leaders from both sides saying that they had tabled their proposals and dialogue would resume on Tuesday (May 2).
The exercise was initiated yesterday (Thursday) for a breakthrough in the weeks-long deadlock on elections between the ruling coalition and the PTI.
As the second round of talks between the ruling coalition and the PTI concluded with hopes of a thaw, the third and decisive final round would take place on Tuesday at 11am.
Closed to PML-N Chief Sharif Ishaq Dar said talks proceeded in a good environment. “We will put forward two suggestions placed by the PTI before the allies,” he added. We saw improvement, he said, and no deadlock on both sides.
PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi, speaking to the media after the meeting, said the meeting incepted with the mention of arrests of PTI activits. “We will travel to Lahore tomorrow and will take Mr Khan into confidence,” he added.
PTI Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry said they had placed their suggestions before the government. “However, it is to be noted that 33 PTI activists at PTI chief Imran Khan’s appearance before the IHC were arrested without any pliable reason,” he added.
He went on to say that arrests would sabotage the process of negotiations. “If you want matters to settle, arrests must be stopped,” he added. PTI leader Farrukh Habib, he said, was barred from travelling abroad.
Earlier, sources had said the government did not seem to be agreeing to the PTI’s demand of holding election in May as it was not possible to do so under tight economic conditions. “The government also cited its negotiations with the IMF,” sources added.
Upon this, the PTI suggested the government to dissolve the National Assembly soon after presenting the budget, sources said. “It also suggested to announce the date of dissolution before presenting the budget,” sources added.
However, if the PTI showed flexibility, the government could go for elections in August, sources told.
The PTI put three conditions before the government; dissolve the National Assembly (NA) and other provincial assemblies, amend the constitution to hold general elections simultaneously in the country that required the NA Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf to take back the PTI MNA’s resignations, and hold general elections in July, sources said.
Imran Khan, at an informal conversation with journalists during his appearance at the IHC, had said his party would initiate talks with the government only if the ruling coalition was ready to immediately dissolve the assemblies and go for elections.
Negotiations come as the top court had recommended 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.
Fawad Chaudhry hoped to see “negotiations moving ahead” today.
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 was 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 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, while speaking to the media, said political problems could be addressed with good intentions. “The solution will be sought by following the constitutional provisions,” he added. The PTI wanted to move forward, he said, with country’s progress as the topmost agenda.
PPPs’ 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.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had agreed to start talks with the PTI on Thursday.
Attorney General Mansoor Awan called on the PM and apprised him of the court proceedings. The JUI-F would not become a part of the negotiations, sources added.
Later, federal law minister Azam Nazir Tarar and Senator Ali Zafar had also come in contact with each other.
