ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has demanded the immediate dissolution of the National Assembly for negotiations with the coalition government to proceed.
Speaking to reporters at the Islamabad High Court (IHC), the former prime minister stated that he had instructed his negotiating team to only talk with the federal government if they were willing to dissolve the National Assembly and hold elections immediately.
Khan further stated that there was no need for further talks if the government repeated their stance on holding elections in September or October. He went on to say that the “ball” was now in the government’s court regarding simultaneous elections and that if elections were not held on May 14th, it would mean the Constitution was torn apart.
During the informal discussion with journalists, Khan criticized former army chief General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa for imposing a “band of thieves” on the country.
Talks between government and PTI
Meanwhile, second round of talks the government and PTI delegations is underway in Islamabad, as the first round of talks on holding elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) ended on Thursday. The negotiations were held in Parliament House to break the political impasse regarding elections in the two regions and lasted for almost two hours.
The PTI delegation, consisting of Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Fawad Chaudhry, and Senator Ali Zafar, represented the party in the talks, while the government’s panel included Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Senator Yousuf Raza Gillani, Saad Rafique, Naveed Qamar, and Kishwar Zehra.
Following the meeting, PPP’s Yousaf Raza Gilani stated that the ruling parties would consult with each other and make a decision based on input from all parties. The talks are set to resume on Friday at 3 pm, during which PTI will present their demands, and the coalition parties will be apprised of them.
Finance Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar stated that it had been principally decided that matters would be resolved within the ambit of the Constitution. Shah Mehmood Qureshi stressed that political parties find solutions to problems through talks but warned that his party would not allow the negotiations to be used as a delaying tactic for elections.
The ongoing political impasse in Pakistan continues to raise concerns as the country prepares for the upcoming elections. The outcome of the talks will determine the way forward for the country and its political stability.
