Govt must initiate dialogue with PTI: Sirajul Haq

JI chief says he cannot ask PTI to withdraw countrywide shutdown till govt makes an effort


Qamar Zaman December 03, 2014

ISLAMABAD: Jamaat-e-Islami chief Sirajul Haq said on Wednesday he cannot ask the protesting Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf to withdraw its call for a countrywide shutdown when the government itself has not initiated a dialogue yet.

“The government has not yet come to the table so how can I ask the PTI to withdraw its call for a countrywide shutdown?” the JI chief said, while addressing the media after a one-on-one meeting with PTI Chairman Imran Khan at his residence in Bani Gala.

On December 2, PTI vice chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi offered the government a chance to revive a stalled negotiation process by December 6, claiming his party would reconsider its plans to shut down Faisalabad on December 8. The offer came a day after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif tasked his key cabinet minister, Ishaq Dar, to reengage the PTI in dialogue.

Imran Khan’s party has threatened to paralyse Faisalabad on December 8, Karachi on December 12 and Lahore on December 15, followed by a nationwide shutdown on the 18th if an independent audit of the 2013 election is not ordered.

Hopeful that the current political impasse would be resolved through dialogue, Haq said, “I am hopeful and have never lost hope that both parties would resume talks and resolve issues as per the aspirations of the people instead of taking them onto the streets.”

Further, the JI chief advised the government to initiate and approach the PTI for resumption of talks as the responsibility lies on the government.

“The talks will be successful as both parties have the desire and willingness to resolve issues through dialogue,” he added.

He added that protesting is the democratic right of every party and the PTI was perhaps protesting in order to press the government to accept its demands though dialogue. “The government is also holding political rallies, which is something good as people get the chance to scrutinise and study their leaders.”

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Appointment of CEC

Responding to a question, Haq said that they did not discuss the appointment of a new chief election commissioner (CEC) during their meeting.

“However, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Khursheed Shah and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar telephoned me and informed me about three names for the post,” he added.

Regarding reforms in the electoral system, Haq said, “We should adopt a proportional representation system in the country if we really want to keep the sanctity of the ballot intact.”

While explaining his argument, he said that political parties and their heads are always compelled to award party tickets to a select group of people and thus the system needs to be changed.

“I have discussed this proposal with Khursheed Shah as well,” he added.

COMMENTS (8)

Shaukat Brohi | 9 years ago | Reply

@Shuaib: mind your language sir........ Imran Khan is not a sold out like PMLn leaders, the decency of respecting a leader of millions of people lacks in many PMLn goons

Shuaib | 9 years ago | Reply

As long as Imran Khan is in these 'talks' there will be no progress. If you do not want progress, there will be no progress.

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