The ruling coalition and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have agreed to hold general elections nationwide on the same day, said the head of the government negotiating team, Ishaq Dar.
He said that the development happened late on Tuesday after the third session of negotiations between the two parties' negotiating teams took place at the Parliament House in Islamabad with the goal of breaking the impasse over the date of the general elections.
Dar told journalists that a general election date consensus could not be reached.
He did, however, affirm that the polls would be held concurrently all over the nation, as all sides had agreed. He added that both parties had demonstrated flexibility in their stances.
Dar said, "Hopefully if they proceed with honesty, the next phase will be passed successfully."
On the other hand, PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that the party will now approach the Supreme Court as there has been no progress in the election talks with the coalition government.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday evening, he said that the two sides couldn’t agree on the dissolution of the assemblies or a date for the elections.
He, however, said there was a consensus on holding concurrent elections as well as caretaker regimes to oversee the election process.
According to Qureshi, the party will submit a written response to the apex court to apprise it of its efforts and the ‘flexibility shown during the talks.'
"We’ll plead to the top court that there was no progress on holding elections on May 14," with a request that the polling be held as per schedule.
He went on to add that his party does not want elections delayed. "We’ll also request the PHC to decide the case soon, for timely elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa."
The negotiation team of the PTI was led by Shah Mehmood Qureshi and included Senator Ali Zafar and Fawad Chaudhary.
The government negotiation team included former prime minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Minister for Law Senator Azam Nazir Tarar, Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique, Minister for Commerce Naveed Qamar, Minister for National Food Security and Research Tariq Bashir Cheema, and Kishwar Zahra from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan.
He said that the development happened late on Tuesday after the third session of negotiations between the two parties' negotiating teams took place at the Parliament House in Islamabad with the goal of breaking the impasse over the date of the general elections.
Dar told journalists that a general election date consensus could not be reached.
He did, however, affirm that the polls would be held concurrently all over the nation, as all sides had agreed. He added that both parties had demonstrated flexibility in their stances.
Dar said, "Hopefully if they proceed with honesty, the next phase will be passed successfully."
On the other hand, PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that the party will now approach the Supreme Court as there has been no progress in the election talks with the coalition government.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday evening, he said that the two sides couldn’t agree on the dissolution of the assemblies or a date for the elections.
He, however, said there was a consensus on holding concurrent elections as well as caretaker regimes to oversee the election process.
According to Qureshi, the party will submit a written response to the apex court to apprise it of its efforts and the ‘flexibility shown during the talks.'
"We’ll plead to the top court that there was no progress on holding elections on May 14," with a request that the polling be held as per schedule.
He went on to add that his party does not want elections delayed. "We’ll also request the PHC to decide the case soon, for timely elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa."
The negotiation team of the PTI was led by Shah Mehmood Qureshi and included Senator Ali Zafar and Fawad Chaudhary.
The government negotiation team included former prime minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Minister for Law Senator Azam Nazir Tarar, Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique, Minister for Commerce Naveed Qamar, Minister for National Food Security and Research Tariq Bashir Cheema, and Kishwar Zahra from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan.