PDM, PTI to hold final round of negotiations on Tuesday

The second round of negotiations between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and government concluded on Friday and both sides agreed to hold the final round of talks on Tuesday (May 2), reported Aaj News.

After the end of the talks, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said each side had tabled two proposals, which would be presented to the government and PTI leadership.

“Some progress was made today,” he said, adding that the “almost final round” of talks would resume on Tuesday.

Following the end of talks, PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi stated major progress was achieved during the talks.

“Both sides presented their view and we will now consult our respective senior leaderships and convey the points raised during negotiation,” he said. “On our side, we will take Imran Khan into confidence.”

Moreover, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said talks were held in a nice and encouraging environment.

“Arrests of political workers can mess up the progress,” he said. “We made our demands as per the constitution.”

PTI Chairman Imran Khan said earlier during the day that he instructed party leaders Fawad Chaudhry and Shah Mahmood Qureshi to initiate talks only if government is ready to dissolve the assemblies and announce a date for fresh elections in Pakistan.

PTI chief also stated that the “ball” was now in the government’s court on the matter of elections.

According to details, PTI wants the government to dissolve assemblies after the approval of budget 2023-24.

Taking to Twitter, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said that “the second round of negotiations between the rulers and the people will be held today.”

“Recognizing the people as the center of power in Pakistan and moving towards the elections is the main point of these negotiations. We should move forward for the country by understanding each other’s point of view.”

Talks are a waste of time: Khawaja Asif

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said that the PDM should refrain from holding talks with PTI as it is a “waste of time”.

Speaking outside Parliament House, he added that the final decisions were made collectively.

He said the government had already stated that it lacked the funds to hold elections on separate dates and that it was “not financially possible” to organise elections on different dates.

“Secondly, if elections are held on different dates, I believe it would cause irreparable damage to the federation”, he said, adding that it would increase the anti-Punjab sentiment in other provinces.

The first round of talks was held on Thursday.

Video footage shared by state-run PTV News showed PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi and party leader Ali Zafar meeting the government representatives at the Parliament House.

The coalition government was represented by Ishaq Dar, Saad Rafique, Naveed Qamar, Yousuf Raza Gilani, Azam Nazeer Tarar, and Kishwar Zahra while the PTI delegation was represented by Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Fawad Chaudhry, and Barrister Ali Zafar.

Negotiations began after Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial remarked that the top court could not force the government to hold dialogue with the opposition.