LAHORE, Feb 8: The third round of talks between the PPP and the PML-Q on seat adjustment was held at the residence of Deputy Prime Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi here on Friday.

Both sides have reportedly finalised most candidates for National Assembly seats and now they will discuss candidates for provincial assemblies on Feb 15. They decided that they would contest the election with their own election symbols.

Senator Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, Chaudhry Moonis Elahi, Basharat Raja and Chaudhry Zaheeruddin represented the PML-Q and Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira, Nazar Gondal, Manzoor Wattoo and Rana Farooq Saeed represented the PPP at the talks.

In the earlier rounds, both sides tried to sort out their differences over seat adjustment and election symbols. They also discussed election strategy and criteria for the selection of candidates in the forthcoming election.

Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf was mandated by President Asif Ali Zardari to lead the four-member PPP team, which was earlier headed by PPP central Punjab president Manzoor Wattoo to hold talks with the PML-Q leadership.