Dar says consensus reached; Qureshi confirms development, claims flexibility shown for the sake of national consensus
Members of the ruling coalition and opposition PTI concluded the third round of crucial election talks at the Parliament House on Tuesday, with Finance Minister Ishaq Dar from the government’s negotiating team saying that a consensus was reached on holding elections on the same day across the country under a caretaker setup.
Separately, PTI’s Shah Mahmood Qureshi also confirmed this development, saying that they had “shown flexibility for the sake of national consensus”. But, he also announced that the PTI would approach the Supreme Court, brief it on the negotiations and request for elections in Punjab to be held on May 14.
Speaking to the media after meeting, Dar said, “There was no longer any confusion about whether there should be separate elections in one or two provinces […] and the two sides have agreed that holding elections in the country on the same day was for the betterment.”
He added that another positive outcome of the talks was that elections would be held under caretaker setups.
However, he added, a consensus was yet to be reached on the date of the elections.
“We have narrowed down on the date … but we have yet to reach an agreement,” he said, adding that both sides would consult their leaderships on the matter. He termed the consensus on one-day elections “a big success”. The negotiations were commenced last week on the Supreme Court’s advice for a breakthrough in a weeks-long deadlock between the government and the PTI.
In addition to Dar, PML-N’s Khawaja Saad Rafique, Azam Nazeer Tarar and Sardar Ayaz Sadiq along with PPP’s Senator Yousuf Raza Gilani and Syed Naveed Qamar have been representing the government in the negotiations. Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s Kishwar Zehra and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid’s Tariq Bashir Cheema were also included in the government’s negotiating team.
Meanwhile, the opposition delegation consisted of the party’s Vice Chairman Qureshi, Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry and Senator Ali Zafar.
