Dissolve assemblies forthwith if want negotiations to go forward: Imran Khan tells govt

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan said on Friday that negotiations with the coalition government will only go forward if they are willing to dissolve the National Assembly forthwith, ARY News reported.

Talking to reporters at the Islamabad High Court (IHC), the former prime minister said that he had instructed PTI negotiating team to only talk with the government if they are willing to dissolve the National Assembly now.

“I have told Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Fawad Chaudhry to only go forward with the talks if the government is willing to dissolve the assembly immediately and hold elections.”

“There is no need to hold further round of talks if they (govt) repeat the same talk of holding elections in September or October,” he added.

During his informal discussion with the journalists, Imran Khan further said that the “ball” was now in the government’s court on the matter of simultaneous elections.

“If elections are not held on May 14 it means Constitution is torn apart,” said the PTI chief, adding that the Constitution is supreme not the Parliament.

The PTI chief also criticised former army chief General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa for imposing a “band of thieves” on the country.

Govt-PTI second round of talks today

Meanwhile, delegations of the government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will meet again today (Friday) as the first round of talks on holding elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) ended Thursday.

The negotiations between the government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) were going on Parliament House to break political impasse regarding elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and concluded after almost two hours.

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.

Talking to journalists after the meeting, PPP’s Yousaf Raza Gilani the ruling parties would consult each other and make a decision. “Whatever is decided, it will be based on input from all parties,” he added.

The talks would be resumed tomorrow at 3pm, during which the PTI would present their demands, Gilani said, adding that the coalition parties would then be apprised of the PTI’s demands.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said it had been principally decided that matters would be resolved within the ambit of the Constitution.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi, while speaking to the media, said the consultations ended after two hours and stressed that political parties find solutions to problems through talks.

However, he said, that his party would not allow the talks to be used as a delaying tactic for elections.