ISLAMABAD: The third round of talks between the government and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) resumed after Friday prayers, with both sides putting forward their demands.
According to sources, the opposition has demanded implementation of the Supreme Court’s order of August 18 regarding the transfer of PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan to hospital.
According to sources, the government has formally asked the PTI to postpone or call off its planned long march scheduled for October 4.
The government also assured the opposition that the court’s decision would be implemented, they added. Opposition leaders have decided to take their party leadership into confidence before proceeding
According to sources, members of the government delegation have separately contacted their leadership to brief them on the outcome of the talks held so far, while members of the opposition delegation are also discussing the demands put forward by the government.
The third round of talks between the two sides has now begun, the sources said.
The meeting is taking place amid heightened tensions between the federal government and the PTI KP government over the security situation and the party’s planned October 4 long march on Islamabad.
The federal government has been considering various constitutional and legal options, including emergency measures and governor’s rule, although no formal decision on either measure had been announced yet.
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Opposition Leader in the Senate Allama Raja Nasir Abbas and PTI leaders Asad Qaiser, Salman Akram Raja, Amir Dogar and Haleem Adil Sheikh are representing the joint opposition, while Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, PM’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry and Pakistan People’s Party Senator Sherry Rehman are representing the government.
The talks are under way following a decision taken by President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif a day earlier, when both leaders agreed to engage with the PTI to defuse political tensions.
President Zardari and Prime Minister Sharif on Thursday discussed the overall political and security situation in the country, with particular focus on the security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
According to an official statement from the President’s House, the president and the prime minister decided that a joint delegation of the federal government and the Pakistan Peoples Party would meet PTI leaders on Friday to discuss the prevailing political situation.
The two leaders also stressed the need to further strengthen the national resolve against terrorism and emphasised effective coordination among relevant institutions to ensure peace and stability in the country.
In a post on X, Tehreek-i-Tahafuz Aain Pakistan (TTAP) stated that talks with the government committee were under way, with opposition led by the opposition leader in Senate.
He said that even major crises could be resolved through dialogue, adding that it was now up to the government to determine how it wanted to salvage the ongoing talks.
“The government needs to show how serious it is about the ongoing negotiations,” he said.
The opposition leader said that it was the government’s responsibility to restore peace and end the prevailing crises and uncertainty.
He stressed that the government should approach the talks with sincerity and good intentions to find a way out of the current situation.
Allama Nasir also said that the PTI’s October 4 long march remained intact and could not be called off at this stage.
Earlier, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry met National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Friday to discuss the political and law-and-order situation.
PTI entering talks “in good faith”
Earlier, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan said the party was ready to talk to the government “in good faith” despite its demands not having been accepted so far.
“Every political party has its own political objectives. Our demands have not been accepted, but today we are going to meet the government in good faith and without any conditions,” he told reporters.
Gohar said the country’s ongoing political issues could be resolved if PTI was given justice.
“If we get justice, it will be possible to resolve the issues,” he said, reiterating that the party was approaching the government with sincerity.
Long march’s fate tied to outcome of talks
Gohar said that the government’s approach during the negotiations would determine PTI’s future course of action regarding its proposed long march, signalling that the party’s next steps hinge directly on how the talks unfold.
Commenting on reports regarding the possible imposition of emergency or grovernor’s rule, Barrister Gohar expressed disappointment over a recent statement by a minister on the matter, saying such discussion was concerning even in the absence of a PTI long march.
He also condemned terrorism, saying any militant violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa or elsewhere in the country was harmful to Pakistan.
“Whether terrorism takes place in our province or in any other part of the country, it is a loss for Pakistan,” he said. “We, and our government, are against terrorism under all circumstances.”
PAK SOUCH MEDIA GROUP
Daily Pak Souch Newspaper Sukkur – Daily Pak Special Newspaper Karachi – Daily Pak Today Newspaper Karachi – Daily Pak Jazbo Newspaper Sukkur
Head Office : Ayub Gate Shaikh Muhalla Near Rabbania Masjid Sukkur
Karachi Office : Office No. 1901-B, 19th Floor Saima Trade Tower (B) Block I.I Chandigarh Road Near Jung Press, Shaheen Complex & National Museum of Pakistan Karachi Sindh Pakistan.
Contact : 03009319022
Website 1 : https://paksouch.com/
Website 2 : https://sindhi.paksouch.com/
Website 3 : https://pakjazbo.com/
Website 4 : https://urdu.pakjazbo.com/
About The Author
