ISLAMABAD: The third round of talks between the delegations of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the ruling coalition ended late last night without reaching a conclusion.
The two sides did agree on holding general elections on the same day across the country, but they failed to reach a consensus on the dissolution date of all remaining assemblies.
Representing PTI in the talks were Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Fawad Chaudhry, and Senator Ali Zafar, while the delegation of the ruling coalition included PML-N’s Ishaq Dar, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Azam Nazeer Tarar, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, PPP’s Senator Yousuf Raza Gilani, and Syed Naveed Qamar.
After the meeting, Federal Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar spoke to a private TV channel, stating that the ongoing National Assembly will complete its term and that the big ice has melted in the negotiations. He added that the distances were too long to be settled in a few hours.
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar from the government’s side stated to the media that a consensus had been reached on holding elections on the same day across the country under a caretaker setup. He mentioned that both sides presented their proposals on the date for the general elections, and another round of talks would take place soon.
He further said that the delegations would consult with their respective leaders, and flexibility was being shown from both sides in the negotiations.
PTI’s Shah Mahmood Qureshi confirmed the development, saying that they had “shown flexibility for the sake of national consensus.”
He added that his side agreed on some points with the government team, including holding elections on the same day across the country under a caretaker setup. However, he said that both sides failed to reach consensus on the date for elections and dissolution of assemblies. He also mentioned that both sides agreed on holding transparent polls so that no one could express concerns later.
