Future of PDM-PTI talks depends on Imran Khan’s decision

ISLAMABAD: PTI Chairman Imran Khan will actually decide whether the dialogue process between the government and PTI has concluded or will continue.

Background interaction with some of those who were representing the two sides in the dialogue process shows the government side is keen to continue the process whereas the PTI side will participate in the talks only if Imran Khan allows them to do so.

It is said that Imran Khan did not allow his side to agree to any date for the dissolution of National and provincial assemblies (Sindh and Balochistan) beyond May 14. On the other side, the PDM representatives were willing to dissolve the assemblies in July for elections in September 2023.

“We could have even discussed end June after the passage of budget as the time for dissolution of the assemblies but we had our own limitations,” one of the negotiators told The News.

None of these representatives from both the sides, discussing the election date and other connected issues on behalf of their parties, had the mandate to finalise anything on the table without referring the matter to their respective top leadership.

From discussion with some of these party representatives, it is found that those sitting around the table were quite comfortable discussing thorny issues between them but their hands were tied. “If the negotiators had the mandate to reach an agreement of what suit them the most, there would have been a possible result,” a source among the negotiators said, adding that both the sides were made to sit to discuss with their hands tied in view of the limitations set for them by their respective leaders.

From the PTI side, Imran Khan is the only person who decides whereas for the PDM side anything that is agreed by the committee would go before the PDM top leadership, Nawaz Sharif, Asif Ali Zardari, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, etc, for “yes” or “no”.

During their three sessions of the talks, the two sides agreed on the point of holding general elections throughout the country, both national and provincial, on the same date. There was also a sort of understanding between them that parliament, when given the opportunity, would amend the Constitution to allow the one-time delay beyond 90 days for holding of elections in Punjab and KP.

The third round of negotiations between the ruling alliance and PTI ended on Tuesday night without a major breakthrough on the date for the same day election.

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, who led the government coalition in the talks, hinted at the continuation of talks. “We have to go and talk to the leadership again; we also have to consult with our coalition parties and hope for positive progress in the coming days, as I think the agreement on elections and formation of a caretaker setup is great progress, which is in accordance with the Constitution and Elections Act 2017.”

On the other side, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who led the PTI in these talks, had announced that the PTI would approach the Supreme Court and submit a written report of negotiations to implement the court’s decision on May 14 polls in Punjab. Neither did the two sides give any next date for talks nor did any of them say there won’t be any talks anymore.

Will the talks’ process continue? The government side has no problem with this but from the PTI side, Imran Khan will decide whether to continue these talks or announce an end to the dialogue process.

Sources said that PTI chief Imran Khan may announce his decision after seeing what the Supreme Court does in the next hearing of the case. On Wednesday, the PTI submitted a detailed report of negotiations with the ruling alliance in the Supreme Court. In his tweet, PTI Spokesman Fawad Chaudhry, who was also a member of the PTI team in these talks, wrote that the party in its report will also request the apex court to implement its order regarding the Punjab Assembly elections.