Second round of govt-JI talks remains inconclusive

RAWALPINDI:

The second round of talks between the negotiation committees of the government and the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) on Wednesday remained inconclusive yet both sides agreed to continue their dialogue on JI's demands for ending their sit-in in Rawalpindi.

Liaquat Baloch, the head of the negotiations committee and Central Naib Amir of the JI, said that the government was serious in the negotiations, therefore, these would continue, adding that their sit-in would also continue until the demands were fully met.

For the past six days, the JI has been staging a sit-in in the Liaquat Bagh, Rawalpindi, protesting against skyrocketing electricity bills, controversial agreements with IPPs, and rampant inflation and other public issues.

On Sunday, a government team, led by Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, met with a JI delegation. The JI team, led by Baloch, submitted a 10-point list of demands, including a 50% cut in electricity bills for consumers using up to 500 units and removal of the petroleum development levy.

After the first round of talks, the information minister had announced that the JI's demands would be reviewed by a technical committee. He added that most of the 10 demands, pertained to electricity-related matters.

Tarar, however, did not join Wednesday's technical-committee level talks held at the offices of the Rawalpindi commissioner. The talks continued for three hours in which detailed discussion was held on electricity prices and taxes, according to the committee members from both sides.