PTI presents three demands; next session to take place today
The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)-led government and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Thursday held their much-awaited talks on the election date after the Supreme Court’s orders.
In the first round of talks — which lasted for around two hours — at the Parliament House’s Committee Room Number 3, both sides informed each other about their top leadership’s stance. The second meeting will be held today.
The government’s delegation comprised Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Pakistan Peoples Party Senator Yousaf Raza Gilani, Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique, Commerce Minister Naveed Qamar and MQM –P Kishwar Zehra.
The opposition’s delegation included PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, PTI Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry, and the party’s top legal expert Barrister Ali Zafar.
The delegation informed the government about PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s stance on elections and about how the elections should be conducted.
Talking to journalists after the meeting, Gilani said the ruling parties would consult each other and make a decision. “Whatever is decided, it will be based on input from all parties.”
Qureshi, while speaking to the media said the consultations ended after two hours and stressed that political parties find solutions to problems through talks.
“We have entered the talks with a spirit of arriving at a decision […] but we will not allow the talks to be used as a delaying tactic for polls,” the PTI vice chairman said.
