Pak Govt-Opposition Talks On Elections Set For Third Round

With the Pakistani government and opposition PTI claiming progress in talks to break deadlock over the timing of elections, both sides have decided to hold what one minister called the “almost final round” of parleys on Tuesday. Sources told Dawn that PTI has insisted on a date for dissolution of the National Assembly prior to the presentation of the budget to “reduce political tension”. Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, who’s part of the government team, denied any deadlock in the parleys and said the two sides had tabled their proposals, which would be put before the government and PTI leadership. Shah Mehmood Qureshi, one of the PTI representatives, told journalists that negotiations were held with the intention to “find a way forward while staying within the ambit of the Constitution”. Ahead of the second round of talks on Friday, PTI chief Imran Khan told journalists he had asked party negotiators “there’s no need to proceed if they (the government) insist on holding polls in September or October.”