ISLAMABAD: (HRNW) The negotiations between the government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have commenced at Parliament House to break political impasse following the orders from Supreme Court (SC), media reported on Thursday.
A three-member delegation – comprising of Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Fawad Chaudhry and Senator Ali Zafar – were representing PTI in the talks.
Meanwhile, the government’s panel includes Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Senator Yousuf Raza Gillani, Saad Rafique, Naveed Qamar, and Kishwar Zehra.
The negotiations were taking place in the Parliament House Committee Room.
Talking to journalists before the talks, PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi hoped for a breakthrough in negotiations. “We should hope for the beat even in despair,” he said.
Moreover, Fawad Chaudhry noted that PTI has only one-point agenda i.e. election. “We have spoken to [party chief] Imran Khan and out matters are settled,” he said, adding that the three-member committee has full mandate.
He further said that as per the Constitution, elections should be held within 90 days of dissolution of assembly. “Negotiations will only take place as per constitution and law”, he added.
Sanjrani to form parliamentary committee
Earlier in the day, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani decided to form a 10-member parliamentary committee for talks on holding elections across the country on the same date.
In a letter written to Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and PTI senator Shehzad Waseem, the Senate chairman has asked both leaders to give four names for the formation of committee to address the ongoing political and economic crisis including the holding of general elections.
“The Senate of Pakistan; House of Federation, being a stabilising factor of the federation is constitutionally bestowed with the responsibility of protecting the national and political harmony vis-a-vis the national and public interest,” he wrote.
Sanjrani added that a 10-member special committee for holding political dialogue is being constituted under the joint convenership of the Leader of the House in the Senate and Leader of the Opposition in the Senate and comprising four members each from the treasury and opposition benches.