New details have emerged about the third round of negotiations between the ruling alliance and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, showing how the exact date of elections in the country became the bone of contention between the two groups.

Sources said that the ruling alliance proposed that elections should be held on Spetember 15 while the PTI wanted polls on August 15.

The PTI had also asked for the three remaining assemblies to be dissovled by May 14, the date which has been fixed by the Supreme Court for elections in Punjab. Reports said that PTI also expressed its reservations regarding the arrests of its leaders.

The ruling alliance’s team, in reply, expressed its apprehension that Imran Khan might take a ‘u-turn’ on whatever would be agreed upon in the negotiations.

However, both teams agreed that no statements that could hamper the negotiation process should be made infront of the media. The teams are expected to consult their leaders and get back in touch in the next two days.

Tuesday’s round broke up with an agreement by both sides that elections should be held throughout the country on the same day. However, the talks have not settled the matter completely and the written demands are being deliberated upon.

Both sides have repeatedly said that talks have been conducted in a ‘positive’ atmosphere. However, the PTI has announced that it will submit a progress report in the Supreme Court.

PTI submits reply in Supreme Court

As announced by Shah Mahmood Qureshi at the end of the third round of negotiations, PTI submitted a response in the Supreme Court on Wednesday.

“No solution within the Constitution could be arrived at and hence the above submitted to this Hon’ble Court,” the PTI told the Supreme Court.

“It is accordingly prayed that the judgement dated 04.04.2023 passed in Constitution Petition No.5 of 2023 requiring elections to be held to the Punjab Assembly on 14.05.2023 may be implemented in letter and spirit so that the Constitution is upheld and does not stand violated.”

The reply mentions that the PTI agreed to the government proposal that elections should be held on the same day based on a few conditions. The conditions include immediate dissolution of assemblies and elections within 60 days. However, the PTI also offered to reenter assemblies to give constitutional cover to delayed elections.