No way out: Govt to consult political parties over draft judicial commission ToRs

PTI says Tuesday's round of talks was the last. Will seek new course of action at party's core committee meeting


Azam Khan/web Desk December 30, 2014

As the final round of talks between the government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf  (PTI) concluded on Tuesday, both were back to square one as the former agreed to deliberate on a draft of terms of references for the judicial commission to probe the May 2013 elections, as proposed by the latter.

“Both sides are stuck on “scope of work” of the proposed judicial commission,” revealed Finance Minister Ishaq Dar after the meeting.

Amid scenes of discontent from the PTI side, the government said it was accepting the proposal put forward by the PTI, and will now take the 21 parliamentary parties into confidence over it with Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal reiterating that they want to resolve the issue amicably.

PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who did not stand with the government team while talking to the media, said that talks on Tuesday was the last round of meetings with the government.

“We came today with the expectation of signing an agreement, but it seems that the government is shying away from probing electoral rigging,” he lamented. “We have shown maximum flexibility during the talks and apparently there is no further space for further negotiation and it is up to the government now to reply our demands.”

Qureshi later said that he will consult with party chief Imran Khan and seek a new course of action for the party during the next core committee meeting.

Earlier on Tuesday, Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal expressed confidence that the government and leadership of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) would be able to reach a consensus on the issue of electoral reforms through negotiations, Radio Pakistan reported.

The government and PTI are expected to hold talks today to resolve their political differences.

“Irregularities in the general elections will be addressed with the consensus of all political parties,” Iqbal said, adding that the country could not afford politics of confrontation.

Moreover, the PTI said a deadlock on three points still continues, but the party is hopeful that these issues will be resolved amicably.

Earlier, PTI had reiterated that it would persevere in its demand for an independent inquiry into the alleged rigging in the 2013 election.

The PTI had been staging nationwide protests, and had announced a countrywide shutdown, which were called off by the party's chief Imran Khan to lend support to the government in its fight against militants following the December 16 bloody rampage by Taliban gunmen at the Army Public School in Peshawar that killed 150 people.

COMMENTS (37)

Adnan Siddiqi | 9 years ago | Reply

@ishrat salim:

Quit your knuckle headed propaganda. In the event you haven't heard the news, Ayaz Sadiq has managed to increase his total votes on the recount by an additional 7,000 votes. Saad Rafiq never got a stay order and it was the Gunda mentality of Hamid Khan that was responsible for the delay in scrutiny in NA-125. If rigging has been accepted by all parties, why neither one of them stood with IK on this matter? If rigging took place, its ANP and JUI (F) who are the most affected parties in KPK and they have already cried foul. Why hasn't PTI and IK opened up KPK to satisfy ANP and JUI (F)?

This charade and sponsored expedition of "Get Nawaz" through toadies and touts like Rent-a-Mullah from Canada and the Chanda collector A.K.A Imran Niazi has fallen flat on its face and instead now dimwit cult worshiping followers should reserve their energy for the grand dance party which would be taking place in Banigala to celebrate IK's impending wedding with "That" lady.

ishrat salim | 9 years ago | Reply

I am flabbergasted at the comments from PML N PTI etc; rigging has been accepted by all the political parties, so what are we arguing about ? it is on record that Mr Nisar has said in the NA that 60,000 to 70,000 votes cannot be verified. From where he got this info ? if any one feels that rigging has taken place in KPK, go ahead get it verified. IK / PTI has welcomed any one to do that. If there was no rigging than why Saad Rafique & Ayaz Sb hiding behind stay order. Why EC till today, not yet put form 14, 15 & 16 on their website, that would have allowed every one to see if IK was wrong or correct...period.

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