PTI open to ‘constructive proposals’

PTI leader Raoof Hassan on Tuesday announced that former premier and party founder Imran Khan was open to considering any “constructive suggestions” brought forward by Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) chairman Mahmood Khan Achakzai through his dialogue with the government.

About Mehmood Khan Achakzai, Hassan stated, “Regarding Mehmood Khan Achakzai [...] Imran said that if he wanted to talk [to the opposition] on his own then he is allowed.” He further added, “We cannot pressure any party [...] if they think that they can play a constructive role then they should try.” “Imran said today that if they bring forward constructive suggestions, we would consider them. It is an open-ended policy.”

When asked if the PTI had given Achakzai the authority to negotiate, Raoof Hassan was crystal clear: “No, PTI’s position is clear. Do not confuse two things together. PTI’s position is clear that we don’t want any contact with mandate thieves.”

“If he [Achakzai] comes to us and says that this is something positive and we should move forward with it, to that Imran has said that we will consider it,” Hassan reiterated.

Responding to PTI leader Gohar Khan’s comments about the party being open to negotiations, Hassan clarified that they had consulted Imran following Gohar’s remarks. Imran denied making any such statement. “There will not be any direct contact with the parties that have stolen the mandate,” Gohar quoted Imran as saying.

The winds of change started blowing in February when PTI spokesperson Raoof Hassan revealed that Imran Khan had greenlit contact with all political parties—except the PML-N, PPP, and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan. These three parties are currently at the helm of the coalition government.

In what seemed to be a flip-flop from its previous stance of only engaging with ‘empowered’ stakeholders and shunning the ‘powerless ruling coalition’, Imran Khan on June 11 directed his party’s top brass to reach out to the government for dialogue.

However, the plot thickened when three days later, at a press conference in Islamabad with Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub, Hassan addressed the media buzz: “Regarding a controversy on the media that the PTI is moving to have negotiations with three political parties that are mandate usurpers, Imran has clearly told us that there is no situation like this.”