PPP-‘N’ talks on 20th Amendment still a stalemate

The deadlock continues. The differences between the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) over the 20th Constitutional Amendment remained unresolved with the latter not agreeing to support the amendment without a constitutional guarantee on the appointment of a neutral caretaker setup acceptable to all political parties for the next general elections.
However, both sides expressed the hope that they would try for a breakthrough on Wednesday (today). But the insiders said the PML-N insisted that the PPP should also come up with its proposal on the caretaker setup so that both sides could find middle ground. It was learnt that the PPP was reluctant to float any such proposal. The meeting between both sides was held at the chambers of National Assembly Opposition Leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan. Talking to reporters after the inconclusive round of talks, Religious Affairs Minister Khursheed Shah said the PML-N leaders could not consult party President Nawaz Sharif as he was on a visit to Multan.
“We will meet again on Wednesday and likely develop consensus on the 20th Amendment Bill,” he said. Nisar also expressed hopes that headway would be achieved on the 20th Amendment by Wednesday. He said no progress was made on the matter during negotiations on Tuesday. “During the course of negotiations PML-N reiterated its earlier stance and never budged an inch from it… the legislators whose membership was suspended were not at fault because it was the chief election commissioner who was actually responsible for this,” he said. Nisar said further that under the constitution, a chief election commissioner could not be granted an extension to his term in office. He said his party wanted a caretaker prime minister who enjoyed consensus of the entire nation and should be capable of holding transparent elections. “The PML-N wants to bring a constitutional amendment for the word ‘consultation’ to be replaced by the word ‘consensus’ between the prime minister and opposition leader for the appointment of a caretaker government, but the PPP is still not ready for it. The PML-N has serious reservations over the word ‘consultation’ as the government always just informs the opposition and never tries to develop consensus,” Nisar said. A source privy to the meeting said the government was reluctant to give a clear assurance to the opposition on the installation of a neutral caretaker setup in consensus with the opposition leader for the upcoming elections. “The government offered that the prime minister may give assurance on the floor of the National Assembly.