ISLAMABAD - The government and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) teams on Sunday failed to break impasse on some key points regarding constitution of judicial commission, its jurisdiction and definition of rigging.
However, the only positive thing was that both sides agreed to keep the ball of negotiations rolling and would meet again on Tuesday after having input from their respective leadership on contentious points.
In a brief media chat, after the negotiations held at the residence of PTI Secretary General Jahangir Khan Tareen, both sides down played their sharp differences on the constitution of judicial commission, its jurisdiction and mandate and the definition of rigging.
Sources aware of the deliberations of the meeting informed The Nation that government side comprising Ishaq Dar and Ahsan Iqbal explained the legal and constitutional intricacies in the establishment of the judicial commission through a presidential ordinance and referred to Article 225, which bars establishment of such a commission and probe into the rigging in the presence of Election Commission of Pakistan.
Article 225 reads; “No election to a house or a provincial assembly shall be called in question except by an election petition presented to such tribunal and in such manner as may be determined by Act of Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament).”
Sources said that government team has proposed amendment in Clause 203-AA of Representation of People’s Act 1976 to empower Election Commission of Pakistan for holding such an audit of 2013 General Elections as demanded by the PTI through judicial commission. But PTI team members Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Asad Umar came up with outright ‘no’ to the proposal insisting that the probe should be conducted by the proposed judicial commission comprising sitting judges of Supreme Court of Pakistan and not by the way ruling PML-N team has proposed.
Sources aware of the deliberations of the meeting said that both sides would now be meeting on Tuesday after having input of their party leadership on the points and suggestions presented by both sides in Saturday’s meeting.
Later talking to newsmen, PTI leader Jahangir Tareen said serious efforts were under way to reach an understanding with the government on constitution of judicial commission to probe the alleged rigging in the elections.
He said both the sides had demonstrated flexibility and the issue could be settled if the government team takes another step forward. To a question about the counter-terrorism National Action Plan, the PTI leader said the government should take action immediately. He said with every passing day, complications will surface and enforcement of the plan would become difficult. He said his party fully backed the government in its efforts to root out terrorism from the country.
The Nation/Pakistan
