The ruling alliance and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday announced they had agreed on conducting general elections simultaneously nationwide but had yet to evolve consensus on a date for the polls.
Addressing media after a third round of talks aimed at ending the impasse over the timing of the general elections, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar—who led the government’s negotiating committee—acknowledged that differences persisted over a date for polls. However, he stressed, the talks had been positive and both sides had agreed that general elections should be conducted simultaneously nationwide. He also praised the “flexibility” shown by both sides in evolving consensus.
“Hopefully, if they proceed with sincerity, the next phase will prove successful,” he added.
PTI Vice-Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who led the committee of his party, told media that the government had stressed on simultaneous elections, while the Supreme Court had asked political parties to show flexibility on a mutual date for polls. Emphasizing that there had been “no breakthrough” during the third round of talks, he nonetheless maintained that both sides had agreed to respect the Constitution and try and find a middle ground to prevent any potential violations.
Reiterating the Supreme Court’s ruling directing elections in Punjab to be held on May 14 should be implemented in letter and spirit, Qureshi said the crux of the issue was that the PTI wanted polls in Punjab and KP within 90 days of the dissolution of their assemblies, while the government wanted simultaneous elections after the National Assembly’s term ended in August. He said both sides had made some headway in nearing each other’s positions during talks, reiterating that the PTI believed all assemblies should be dissolved before May 14.
The PTI leader further said his party was ready to return to the National Assembly—from which the party had resigned en masse last year—to provide constitutional cover for delayed polls. The PTI, he added, has sought a written agreement with the government to present before the Supreme Court.
While neither side gave any indication for when talks might resume, the PTI is now reportedly seeking general elections no later than mid-August. The government, meanwhile, appears willing to conduct polls in September but no earlier.
The meeting took place at Parliament House in Islamabad, with Qureshi leading the PTI’s delegation that also included Chaudhry Fawad Hussain and Senator Ali Zafar. The government’s team comprised Dar, former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar, Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique, Commerce Minister Naveed Qamar, National Food Security Minister Tariq Bashir Cheema, and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan’s Kishwar Zahra.
The first round of talks was held on April 27, with a second round following just a day later. The third round came after a four-day gap.