With open arms: Three aides tapped for forging political liaisons
Irfan Siddiqi, Ahsan Iqbal and Saad Rafique will evolve consensus on issues.
Irfan Siddiqi, the special assistant to the prime minister on national affairs, confirmed that along with him, Planning & Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal and Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique have been picked for the job. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
As political temperatures rise with a spike in mercury, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has tapped three of his senior aides for the crucial task of contacting all political groups in an effort to evolve a consensus on major national issues.
Irfan Siddiqi, the special assistant to the prime minister on national affairs, confirmed that along with him, Planning & Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal and Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique have been picked for the job.
“We neither aspire to cobble together a new political alliance nor do we want to change the existing political blocs,” Siddiqi told The Express Tribune on Sunday without elaborating. Siddiqi was also the convener of a four-member committee formed by the government to make peace with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.
The Pakistan Awami Tehreek of Dr Tahirul Qadri and the Pakistan Muslim League of the Chaudhrys of Gujrat formed an alliance on May 31 and pledged to mobilise their supporters for the establishment of a public welfare system in Pakistan. Apart from that, Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has also been agitating against alleged rigging in the May 2013 general elections.
“All we want is good relationship with all political leaders in the larger interest of the country,” Siddiqi added. “The government wants to consult all political parties on all national issues. With the same spirit, the prime minister issued us directions and we have started liaising with other political groups.”
However, Siddiqi was reluctant to call it a ‘committee’ as reported by the electronic media. “It’s not a formal committee. We are holding informal meetings on the pattern on back-channel diplomacy,” he added.
Asked about the objectives of the team, Siddiqi gave a vague answer. “We want to strengthen democracy, discourage extremism, protect and encourage development projects and end the menace of terrorism,” he added.
As an afterthought he, however, added that all political leaders should be on the same page for the continuity of democracy. “And our contacts will help build a peaceful political environment in the country,” he said.
This shows the government sees the ongoing rallies of the PTI and alliance between PM-Q and PAT as a threat to democracy. The government is feeling the heat, particularly in the backdrop of strained relations with the security establishment and the PTI political campaign, sources in the PML-N told The Express Tribune.
Siddiqi revealed that they have met with Jamaat-e-Islami, while meetings with the Awami National Party and Qaumi Wattan Party of Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao were being scheduled. Asked if they would also approach the PTI, Siddiqi said: “The prime minister himself has already made a contact.” He was referring to Nawaz Sharif’s visit to Imran Khan’s residence in Bani Gala, on the edge of Islamabad, on March 12.
However, Siddiqi said there were no ‘no-go areas’ for the team. “We would reach out to every political party which has a representation in parliament,” he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 9th, 2014.
As political temperatures rise with a spike in mercury, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has tapped three of his senior aides for the crucial task of contacting all political groups in an effort to evolve a consensus on major national issues.
Irfan Siddiqi, the special assistant to the prime minister on national affairs, confirmed that along with him, Planning & Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal and Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique have been picked for the job.
“We neither aspire to cobble together a new political alliance nor do we want to change the existing political blocs,” Siddiqi told The Express Tribune on Sunday without elaborating. Siddiqi was also the convener of a four-member committee formed by the government to make peace with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.
The Pakistan Awami Tehreek of Dr Tahirul Qadri and the Pakistan Muslim League of the Chaudhrys of Gujrat formed an alliance on May 31 and pledged to mobilise their supporters for the establishment of a public welfare system in Pakistan. Apart from that, Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has also been agitating against alleged rigging in the May 2013 general elections.
“All we want is good relationship with all political leaders in the larger interest of the country,” Siddiqi added. “The government wants to consult all political parties on all national issues. With the same spirit, the prime minister issued us directions and we have started liaising with other political groups.”
However, Siddiqi was reluctant to call it a ‘committee’ as reported by the electronic media. “It’s not a formal committee. We are holding informal meetings on the pattern on back-channel diplomacy,” he added.
Asked about the objectives of the team, Siddiqi gave a vague answer. “We want to strengthen democracy, discourage extremism, protect and encourage development projects and end the menace of terrorism,” he added.
As an afterthought he, however, added that all political leaders should be on the same page for the continuity of democracy. “And our contacts will help build a peaceful political environment in the country,” he said.
This shows the government sees the ongoing rallies of the PTI and alliance between PM-Q and PAT as a threat to democracy. The government is feeling the heat, particularly in the backdrop of strained relations with the security establishment and the PTI political campaign, sources in the PML-N told The Express Tribune.
Siddiqi revealed that they have met with Jamaat-e-Islami, while meetings with the Awami National Party and Qaumi Wattan Party of Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao were being scheduled. Asked if they would also approach the PTI, Siddiqi said: “The prime minister himself has already made a contact.” He was referring to Nawaz Sharif’s visit to Imran Khan’s residence in Bani Gala, on the edge of Islamabad, on March 12.
However, Siddiqi said there were no ‘no-go areas’ for the team. “We would reach out to every political party which has a representation in parliament,” he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 9th, 2014.