Pakistan general elections likely in August

Islamabad, May 3 The Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has agreed to delaying polls till August during the third round of dialogue with a government team, the media reported.

Notably, the Supreme Court (SC) had ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold the elections in Punjab province on May 14, Samaa TV reported.

However, the government refused to disburse funds.

As the negotiating teams of the ruling Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and the opposition PTI prepare to engage in talks to resolve a stalemate over the timing of the general elections, both sides appear to be moving towards a compromise.

A three-member delegation from PTI, led by senior party leaders Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Fawad Chaudhary as well as Senator Ali Zafar engaged in discussions with the government's team.

The government's team included former Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar, Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique, Minister for Commerce Naveed Qamar, Minister for National Food Security and Research Tariq Bashir Cheema, and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) representative Kishwar Zahra.

The PTI team handed over an eight-point recommendation draft to the PDM team. It will also send this draft to the Supreme Court through its lawyers.

Sources have revealed that the opposition party has agreed to organisation of polls in the second or third week of August, after the budget, Samaa TV reported.

During a press conference held after the negotiation round, Finance Minister Dar confirmed that both the government and opposition parties have demonstrated flexibility in their stances.

He further added that both negotiation teams will be reporting back to their respective party leaderships.

However, Dar stated that a mutually agreeable date for holding same-day elections throughout the country has not been reached, Samaa TV reported.