ISLAMABAD – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shireen Mazari has announced the failure of her party’s talks with the members of the ruling coalition on holding of elections in the country as both sides failed to finalise a date for the polls.
The announcement comes as the PTI and the ruling alliance members held third round of negotiations in the federal capital. Following the meeting, the government said both sides had agreed to hold general elections for provincial and National Assemblies will be held simultaneously.
Taking to Twitter, Mazari accused media of deliberately “distorting PTI position on talks which failed”.
“Our position at talks was PTI would agree to all elections on one day IF assemblies dissolved by 14 May. But PDM did not agree. SMQ [Shah Mahmood Qureshi] announced parties had failed to settle date of dissolution & elections so talks ended,” she added.
Media delib distorting PTI position on talks which failed. Our position at talks was PTI would agree to all elections on one day IF assemblies dissolved by 14 May. But PDM did not agree. SMQ announced parties had failed to settle date of dissolution & elections so talks ended. pic.twitter.com/U80ZfV2rZz
— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) May 3, 2023
Barrister Ali Zafar, who was a part of the PTI’s team holding negotiations with the government, said there had been “no consensus on the date of dissolution or elections.”
For time being there has been no consensus on date of dissolution or elections. This means that the Date fixed by Supreme Court under constitution for punjab assembly election is 14th May. Disobedience will be violation of Constitution/court orders involving serious consequences
— Barrister Syed Ali Zafar (@SyedAliZafar1) May 2, 2023
“This means that the date fixed by Supreme Court under the constitution for the Punjab assembly election is 14th May,” he said, adding: “Disobedience will be a violation of Constitution/court orders involving serious consequences.”
PTI, ruling alliance agree to conduct elections in one go but date for polls not fixed yet