Talks start

A thaw between PTI and the government seems promising, with talks set to resume on January 2.

A thaw between the PTI and the government seems on the cards. The initiative to get talking is quite promising, and needs to end up meaningfully, enabling the country to pull back from the brink. Political instability is already taking a toll and the prime victims are social cohesion and economic growth. As the opposition and the treasury delegates met for a debut round of talks on Monday, it's time to instantly opt for a few confidence building measures by both the sides to keep the momentum going.

While the beleaguered coalition has entrusted representation of all its allies on the panel for talks, it must come to address the exigency of the situation and not to make it a time-buying exercise or one of hoodwinking – as had been the format earlier. The PTI too on its behalf is seized with an opportunity to articulately canvass its demands in the domain of legality and desist from playing to the gallery.

The fact that political forces are calling the shots, and that too from the bicameral, is a marked departure from the PTI stunts of talking only to the powers-that-be. As the PTI's minimum agenda – release of political prisoners and establishment of a judicial commission to probe 'excesses' – has been listed out by former PM Imran Khan, the government can take a leap forward by agreeing to them in toto. As cherished political forces, the PML-N and the PPP, had been in the same nexus in yesteryears, valuing fundamental rights of expression and assembly can make a good beginning.

With both sides set to return to the table on January 2, implementation on the Supreme Court's July 12 verdict would provide enough political space to take the talks forward. At the same time, PTI should calling off its civil-disobedience movement in wider national interest. Let the culture of debating on the floor of the house be the new norm, with both sides sticking to the denominator of working within the ambit of law and the Constitution. At this critical verge, there is no room for failing.