PML-N throws ball in JUI-F court on talks with PTI

Asif says currently negotiations not being held with opposition

ISLAMABAD/PESHAWAR:

The PML-N has thrown the ball in JUI-F’s court regarding negotiations with the PTI, saying talks would be held at the parliament level and that they would be initiated after a decision by Maulana Fazl’s party.

The development took place in a meeting of the PML-N parliamentary party, which was chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The premier took the party members into confidence regarding the current political situation.

The participants of the meeting candidly held discussion on the Supreme Court’s week-long deadline to the political parties to evolve a consensus on the date for holding simultaneous general elections to the national and the four provincial assemblies, which was set to expire on April 26.

Later, it was decided that negotiations with the PTI would be held at the parliament level and that they would be started after a decision by the JUI-F.

Separately, an emergency meeting of the Central Executive Committee (CEC) of JUI-F was held with central Ameer Maulana Fazlur Rahman in the chair.

The meeting would continue for three to four days and take decisions regarding the prevailing political situation.

Those who participated in the CEC meeting included federal minister Maulana Asad Mahmood, Akram Khan Durrani, Maulana Amjad Khan, Aslam Ghauri, Maulana Salahuddin, Senator Attaur Rehman, Maulana Abdul Rasheed, Senator Kamran Murtaza, Maulana Attaul Haq Darwaish, Maulana Safiullah, Maulana Ijaz Shinwari, Sahibzada Khalil Ahmad, Abdurazaq, Abid Lakho, Abdul Qayyum Balijvi, Mufti Rozi Khan and Ghulam Qadir.

The session offered prayers for federal minister Mufti Abdul Shakoor who lost his life in an accident a few days ago.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Wednesday clarified that talks were not being held with the opposition at present.

Speaking to journalists in parliament, the minister stressed that they did not want clash with institutions, adding that they should work “within their limits”.

“[The] authority of parliament will be protected and no one will be allowed to overstep it. [We will] act according to the Constitution if any such measure is taken.”

He clarified that currently negotiations with the opposition were not being held.