PM tasks Khattak with wooing back BNP-M

The PM has tasked Khattak to address the concerns of the allies

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday tasked Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak to contact the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) and remove its reservations in order to bring it back into the ruling coalition, a source said.

The prime minister chaired a meeting of his top aides a day after BNP-M parted ways with the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI)-led ruling coalition. The meeting was attended by Planning Minister Asad Umar, Defence Minister Pervez Khattak, National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood and Prime Minister’s Adviser on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan.

The Prime Minister directed the government’s negotiating committee to contact BNP-M and remove its reservations, a member of the government’s team told The Express Tribune. The prime minister tasked Khattak to address the concerns of the allies.

The meeting reviewed the implementation of BNP-M’s six demands. It also received a briefing on the previous contacts with BNP-M. The prime minister was informed that backdoor contacts with the BNP-M had so far indicated that the doors of talks were still open.

The prime minister directed the government’s negotiating team to re-establish formal contacts with the BNP-M and remove its concerns. He also directed that the reasons for the non-compliance of its six-point demands should also be shared with BNP-M leadership.