PTI To Approach SC As No Progress In Election Talks: Qureshi

PTI To Approach SC As No Progress In Election Talks: Qureshi
PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Tuesday 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 presser 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 with the apex court to apprise it about its efforts and the 'flexibility shown during the talks'.

"We'll plea 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."

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On the other hand, PML-N's Ishaq Dar seconded that the elections will be held under a caretaker setup. Also, PPP senior leader Yousuf Raza Gilani said that the election results will be accepted by all political parties.

Sources say that a PTI member had proposed holding the polls in the second or third week of August.


The government seems in no mood to hold elections in Punjab on May 14 as directed by the top court Political gurus believe that the talks have once again pushed the matter back to the court.


The government and the opposition went into dialogue without a real optimism as the atmosphere for the talks was spoiled by mysterious raids at the houses of key opposition leaders and little to no trust level.


A perpetual trend

There have been many failed talks between the government and the opposition in the country's history.


The political history is filled with failed political huddles, including former President General Zia-ul-Haq's offer for talks to the opposition over political reforms in 1985.


In 2008-2009, then President Asif Zardari offered talks to the opposition but they were rejected. In 2014, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif held talks with the opposition in order to resolve the political crisis but nothing came out of it.


In 2016-17, PTI and PSP held talks with the government to find a solution for the political turmoil but the talks failed.