ISLAMABAD: On May 2 (Tuesday), the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the government led by the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) are scheduled to hold the “final” round of negotiations after the former ruled out the possibility of a deadlock between the parties.
Following the second round of negotiations, which took place on Friday in the Senate Committee Room, the parties decided to discuss the suggestions made during the meeting with their senior leadership and allies. Both delegations had high hopes for a Tuesday conclusion, but PTI cautioned that if law enforcement continued to detain its employees, the negotiations could “derail” at any time.
The talks are crucial to end an impasse over the elections, which has fueled political tensions in the country, leading to an economic crisis, with the Supreme Court also urging the political forces to negotiate and find out a solution to the prevailing turmoil.
The court had directed the political parties to decide on the election date by April 26, but no progress was made till the deadline. In yesterday’s hearing, the SC mentioned that it cannot ask parties to hold negotiations forcefully.
“The court cannot force [parties] on a dialogue. The court only wants implementation on the Constitution so that the dispute is resolved,” Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial said.
But PDM and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has decided to stay away from the talks as his party believes that the negotiations with Imran Khan’s PTI would bear no fruit.
In conversation with journalists after the talks, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said progress has been made. Without disclosing, he said both sides have presented their proposals.
“There is no deadlock in the talks. PTI and the government’s committees will meet on Tuesday at 11am,” he said, elaborating that the meeting has been postponed till next week as both sides need to discuss the proposals with their leadership.
Talking to journalists, PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi said in his view, “reasonable progress” was made today and that he would inform party chairman Khan about the talks after visiting him in Lahore.
“We presented our point of view and they presented theirs,” Qureshi said, without elaborating on what the proposals were so far.
PTI Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry, during the same press conference, said the talks were held in a “positive atmosphere”, but warned that talks would derail if arrests of his party workers did not stop.
“The arrests will destroy the negotiation process. Ali Amin Gandapur has still not been released despite him securing bail in all his cases,” the former information minister said.
Fawad said the government and ministers claim that they are not behind the arrests, but warned that whoever was behind the detentions was hurting the negotiation process.
Sources familiar with the talks told Geo News that the government has suggested holding polls in September this year.
However, the sources said the PTI did not agree to this at first and proposed that polls be held in July.
At this, the sources said, the government representatives told the opposition that they have to present the budget in June and elections in July would be too early.
The PTI delegation then agreed to put forward the government’s proposal before Khan.
The sources added that Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan’s lawmaker Kishwer Zehra told the members of the meeting that it would be better if both sides reach a consensus, otherwise, it would be a setback for them if an external force gets involved.
