Discussions have stalled on the election date.
Government and PTI reach an agreement on holding interim elections on the same day

On May 2 2023, the government and the PTI will have their third round of negotiations in Parliament House in Islamabad. picture of shah mahmood qureshi from Facebook
On May 2, 2023, in Islamabad’s Parliament House, representatives from the government and the PTI will meet for their third round of negotiations. A PHOTO BY Shah Mahmood Qureshi/Facebook
ISLAMABAD:
The much-anticipated talks between the PML-N led ruling alliance and the PTI remained inconclusive on Tuesday, with leaders from both parties confirming that they were at a “stalemate” over when to dissolve the assemblies and hold general elections in Pakistan.
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said that both sides agreed to hold general elections on the same day under the caretaker set-up, and that both sides have agreed to accept poll results, despite the fact that negotiators from the ruling alliance and the PTI were unable to agree on a date for dissolving the National, Sindh, and Balochistan assemblies and holding polls.
On Tuesday night, the government and the PTI met for the third time to try to resolve their political and constitutional impasse. However, the two parties were unable to reach an agreement on dissolving the assembly and conducting new elections.
Similar to the previous meeting on April 27, the government and PTI members met in a closed area — this time the banquet hall — where they ate supper and thought about the problems that had been addressed since April 27. But, as on previous occasions, they were unable to come to an agreement on the central issues.
According to PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, there was no agreement on when to dissolve the assembly or when to hold elections.
The conference concluded with Qureshi announcing that the PTI will travel to the Supreme Court, update it on the discussions, and ask it to stick to its earlier ruling to hold elections in Punjab on May 14.
Elections in Punjab, which had been scheduled to take place on April 30, were postponed to October 8 due to a lack of funding and a lack of available security, prompting the Supreme Court to step in and mediate the dispute between government officials and PTI leaders.
Later, the highest court in the land proposed that the political parties work together to schedule nationwide elections.
Dar told reporters afterward that the negotiations had gone well and that the government and the PTI had agreed to hold elections on the same day across the nation under the caretaker set-up. But, he said, the election date has not been set.
Dar, although calling the agreement on one-day elections a huge step forward, did not provide many details, stating only that the two parties had narrowed down on a date but had not yet achieved an agreement and that they would once again contact their leadership on the matter.
Dar had faith that the problem could be handled quickly if both parties kept cooperating in good faith.
He was joined by Senator Yousaf Raza Gilani of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Minister of Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique, Minister of Law Azam Nazir Tarar, Minister of Economic Affairs Ayaz Sadiq, Minister of Commerce Syed Naveed Qamar, and Minister of National Food Security and Research for the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid Tariq Bashir Cheema. Gilani, who made the joint statement with Dar, mentioned that they had decided to accept the election results.
Meanwhile, outside the Parliament Building, PTI representatives Qureshi, Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry, and Senator Barrister Ali Zafar addressed the media.
Elections under the caretaker arrangement would be held on the same day as the dissolution of assemblies, as stated by Qureshi.
There is clearly a stalemate between the administration and the PTI because neither party has set a date for the next meeting.
According to Barrister Zafar’s interview with The Express Tribune, “talks have reached a stalemate,” and the next meeting would take place only if the government announces a date for the dissolution of the assemblies before May 14.
When asked if the PTI would continue negotiations if the government announced the dissolution of the remaining legislatures before May 14 but then went back on its word and dissolved them later, Khan responded, “We will see then.”
Qureshi stated that the PTI was still confident that elections in Punjab should be held on May 14, despite the Supreme Court’s suggestion that the political parties meet and work out a solution on April 19.
When asked about the constitutional deadline for holding elections of the Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa assemblies, which were dissolved in January by the PTI, Khan responded, “The PTI is ready to give a one-time constitutional cover to the past and future events.”
He also said the PTI was prepared to make a comeback to the National Assembly if that became necessary.
For “the PTI wants to reach an agreement in writing so that it can be presented before the top court.”
He said that the remarks made by PML-N legislators like Khawaja Asif, Ahsan Iqbal, and Javed Latif made things worse rather than better for negotiations.
Despite the PML-N leaders’ statements, the arrest of its workers, and the raid on the home of PTI Central President Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, he said, the PTI still went ahead with the talks.
As “there has been no progress in the talks,” Qureshi said the PTI would write to the apex court to update it on the status of negotiations with the government, adding that the party would ask the court to move forward with its decision to hold elections in Punjab on May 14.
He affirmed that early elections are a priority for the PTI in K-P.
With the PTI having agreed the government’s demand for elections to be held on the same day, PTI leader Fawad stated The Express Tribune on May 2 that “now they have to show flexibility on dates and Constitutional amendments.” Unfortunately, it wasn’t possible by Tuesday evening.