PTI, govt crack the door open for dialogue

PTI leaders urged to consult Imran first Panels proposed to resolve issues in parliament PTI shares concerns ove

ISLAMABAD:

In a bid to defuse tensions and mend fences, the ruling PML-N and opposition PTI agreed on Wednesday to open formal communication channels – a move that aims to replace confrontation with constructive dialogue, addressing long-standing issues and seeking to steady the ship of political stability.

Following simmering tensions between the two sides, particularly after the November 26 clash, the stalemate was broken when PTI leader Asad Qaiser and Salman Akram Raja met National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq at Parliament to offer condolences for his sister's death.

During the meeting, both the incumbent and former NA speakers agreed that it was time to put their heads together. They proposed forming committees to sit down and hash out the thorny issues in the parliament that have repeatedly put a wedge between the two parties.

They agreed that parliament should be the forum to discuss the outstanding issues.

Officials familiar with the development revealed that the NA speaker while assuring his efforts to engage the government, said that PTI leadership should meet the party's incarcerated founding chairman, Imran Khan, and secure a full mandate for talks to ensure meaningful results.

The development marks a fresh chapter in the often turbulent relationship between the PML-N-led ruling coalition and the PTI, with relations long described as at loggerheads.

Although the meeting was not planned, it did provide both sides the opportunity to clear the air.

"It wasn't a planned meeting but the ongoing political situation and importance of holding talks between the two sides was discussed in it," Qaiser shared with The Express Tribune, adding that the PTI shared its concerns and objectives for the talks, while the speaker assured his role in fostering a productive dialogue.

Qaiser said that the NA speaker suggested that "PTI leadership should meet Imran Khan and discuss things in detail before holding talks, adding that he reiterated that the negotiating committee should have a full mandate so that meaningful talks could be held.

Qaiser said that the NA speaker assured that he would talk to the govt side so that issues could be discussed and settled.

He confirmed that Imran Khan has already formed a committee comprising himself, opposition leader Omar Ayub, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, Salman Akram Raja and Sahibzada Hamid Raza, the chief of SIC under whose banner PTI is participating in Parliament.

However, the government has yet to form its committee, though Qaiser hopes it will be established soon.

During the informal discussion, Qaiser said that the November 26 issue also came under discussion and PTI urged Sadiq to play his role as the speaker for the release of roughly 900 poor party workers who have been arrested in the wake of the Blue Area standoff and were now being booked in other cases, including that of May 9, by Punjab police.

Another PTI leader, who requested not to be named, said that the political victimisation should end now as it was causing hatred at the mass level.

He regretted that people belonging to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were being targeted after the November 26 rally, saying the speaker's attention was drawn toward it.

"Political victimisation is triggering hatred," he lamented before adding that "what is more painful is that no one is sensing the danger."

He said that PTI shared its concerns with Sadiq and is hopeful that the government side would soon respond positively. On November 26, PTI protestors had clashed with the law enforcers and since then the government and PTI have been trading barbs in and outside the Parliament over the number of deaths that night.

Since the incident, both sides have been at loggerheads over the number of deaths as PTI made claims ranging from 12 to over 250 deaths while the government side has been seeking evidence regarding the same, saying PTI hasn't yet produced any evidence to support its claim and there were several inconsistencies in PTI leaders' statements.

Even before the Blue Area standoff, the PML-N and PTI have been at loggerheads for long and things have intensified at frequent intervals, including before and after the general elections, following Imran Khan's arrest and post-May 9 incident. The PTI accuses PML-N of stealing its mandate in the elections and believes that fundamental rights have frequently been violated in the absence of the rule of law.

The government side, however, blames PTI for marching on the capital time and again, resorting to protests when key events are taking place and assails the party and its incarcerated founding chairman for creating chaos and political instability in the country.

PTI has long been demanding that all the political prisoners, including Imran Khan, should immediately be released, mandate issues be resolved and democracy, rule of law and Constitution should be restored in the country.

The party leaders said that these are among the key issues that the party leadership wishes to take up if the government side responds positively.

A text message was sent to the information minister seeking his comments on the development but no response came till the filing of the story.