Govt-PTI talks on track

The final round is likely to be held on coming Tuesday

ISLAMABAD:

The efforts to find common ground through dialogue by the leaders of the ruling alliance and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) continued on Friday as not only the talks are still on track but the leaders of both sides have so far refused to let their differences come in the way of forging a consensus on general elections.

Though resolving their differences might not be a piece of cake, the chances of a likely breakthrough are still high as the government and PTI negotiating teams put forward their proposals in connection with developing a consensus on simultaneously holding general elections across the country.

On the second day of talks on Friday, the government and the PTI teams once again entered a room in the Parliament House, shut the door and emerged after a couple of hours, agreeing that the third – possibly final  – round would take place on coming Tuesday after which a decision would be announced.

Though the leaders from both sides emerged sounding hopeful about the future prospects, the second round of talks between the PTI and the ruling coalition to break the ongoing political and constitutional impasse in the country ended with both sides agreeing to take input from their leadership and continue negotiations next week.

During the meeting, the PTI leadership insisted that the ruling alliance should dissolve the National as well as Sindh and Balochistan assemblies by May this year and refrain from presenting the budget if it wishes to hold general elections on the same day across the country.

The PTI team conveyed that the dissolution of the assemblies should take place by the end of May so that the general elections do not go beyond August this year, saying the caretaker setup should present a temporary budget for four months.

At the talks, the government side comprised Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique, Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar, Economic Affairs Minister Ayaz Sadiq, Commerce Minister Syed Naveed Qamar, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Senator Yousaf Raza Gillani, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan’s (MQM-P) Kishwar Zehra and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid’s (PML-Q) Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, Tariq Bashir Cheema.

PTI was represented by its Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry and Senator Barrister Ali Zafar.

“Apart from the elections’ date, budget is the main stumbling block between the two sides,” a participant of the meeting told The Express Tribune following the second round of talks taking place after months of political bickering. “After two meetings in a cordial environment, I feel chances of a breakthrough have increased.”

Also read: Negotiations only if govt willing to dissolve assemblies now, says Imran

The government side, however, maintained that the assemblies cannot be immediately dissolved as the budget was just around the corner and the government was about to revive the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme for which it has sacrificed much of its political capital since coming to power last April.

Sources in the meeting revealed that the PTI leadership contended that the government wants to give a “political budget” before the next election to revive its lost political capital, saying the IMF would not like any such move. They said that a caretaker government can give a budget for four months and the new government should present the annual budget after coming to power.

The government, however, insisted that the IMF’s pressure and the current economic situation demands that the government present the budget as it would lead to political and economic stability in the country.

The PTI side maintained that the NA is going to be dissolved on August 11 and the government side should show some flexibility by agreeing to a date for elections in July or August instead of sticking to a date in September or October, saying the difference was too small.

The issue of police arresting PTI leaders and workers was also discussed in the meeting and the PTI leadership expressed annoyance at police arresting PTI workers. A source said that all PTI workers whom the police arrested on Friday when they came to show support for PTI Chairman Imran Khan during his court appearance were released after the government intervened in the matter.

Once again, both sides reiterated that all the decisions would be taken within the constitutional limits, appreciating that resolving issues at a political forum was far better than taking matters to the streets.

Sources in the meeting revealed that lawyers in both the teams – Law Minister Tarar and Barrister Zafar – gave detailed briefings on the legal and constitutional aspects of the developments that have taken so far or might take place in the future if both sides agree to move ahead by adopting “give & take policy”.

“It is not about winning or losing; it is about reaching a compromise to bring political and economic stability in the country,” the source said, adding that both sides will have to show some flexibility in order to move forward.

The PTI team told the government side that the date of the polls in Punjab –ordered by the Supreme Court (SC) on May 14 – could be extended after the government gave the date of dissolution of the National and the Provincial Assemblies.

According to sources, the PTI also talked about giving constitutional cover to the past and some future events as the 90-day constitutional period of holding elections in Punjab and K-P after the dissolution of assemblies had already passed.

Officials privy to the developments said that the government side said that elections could be held in August or September but sought time for seeking the opinion of the allied parties’ leadership by the next meeting on Tuesday.

Read More: Fazl stays away from govt, PTI talks on election date

In the first round of talks on Thursday, the PTI team had also talked about giving constitutional cover to past and future events, which has opened up chances of PTI’s return to the NA. The NA was left abandoned by 124 lawmakers of PTI through an en masse resignation last April.

Following the meeting, Dar said both sides have tabled different proposals that would be presented to the top leadership of both sides, saying some progress was made in the second round of talks.

Qureshi also said progress was made during the talks on Friday, saying negotiations were held in a pleasant environment and both sides’ intention was to find a way forward while staying within the Constitutional limits. He said the PTI team would go to Lahore to discuss the matter with PTI chief Imran Khan, saying both sides would sit again on Tuesday at 11 am.