During the National Assembly session on Tuesday, Minister for Railway Khawaja Saad Rafiq, Minister for Defence Khawaja Asif and Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan all requested the PTI to engage in talks directly or through mediation of other political leaders to resolve its differences with the government. However, they clarified that the request should not be seen as a weakness on the government's part.
“I request the PTI to postpone the march and not to adopt the mind-set of Dr Tahirul Qadri,” said Khawja Saad Rafiq adding the only way to keep democracy going is through talks.
"It is strange that a party that is an ardent supporter of talks with the Taliban is not ready for talks with the government, despite our repeated requests," said Rafique.
Further, Khawaja Asif asked the PTI to settle matters in the National Assembly rather than resorting to sit-ins and protests.
Chauhdry Nisar took the request a step further and asked leading political figures, including leader of Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party Mehmood Khan Achakzai and Qaumi Watan Party Chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao to play a role in resolving PTI’s differences with the government.
Interestingly, the interior minister also asked his archrival, Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed to play a conciliatory role. “It would be a great service to the country and the government would respond positively to such a move,” he said.
Before the National Aseembly meeting, Achakzai met Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and urged him to convene a meeting of all political leaders including PTI chief Imran Khan for resolution of issues. He also suggested that the Senate, National Assembly and provincial assemblies pass a resolution saying that no ‘compromise’ will be made if the Constitution is violated.
Further, Achakzai said that it is PTI’s right to hold a political rally but their plan of not ending the sit-in is dangerous and Parliament should decide whether sensitive areas in Islamabad could be used for political rallies.
“We have to accept that the people voted some to power,” he said in response to PTI’s demand of re-elections.
Government defends invocation of Article 245
The interior minister told MPs that the government would never use the army for political battles, adding that Article 245 of the Constitution was implemented in Islamabad for the protection of citizens.
“I assure this house that the government would neither involve the army in political affairs nor will use it against any political rally or protest,” said Nisar.
Nisar added that Parliament was not asked for approval before implementing Article 245 in the past and therefore, it was wrong to criticise PML-N for not taking parliamentary approval.
Clarifying that Article 245 mentions that it is invoked to combat terrorism, he questioned how it can be used for political reasons.
“The army does not serve any political party, it is for the entire country,” the interior minister said, adding that there is no shame in asking the army for help.
“Developed countries such as England, Italy and Spain have also sought help from their armies in order to aid civil leadership,” Nisar remarked.
The interior minister said Islamabad had not been handed over to the army and they will carry out their operations under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
“When a military operation is being conducted, emergency is usually declared throughout the country but the PML-N government did not do this,” Nisar stated.
PPP to protest more than PTI, PAT if Article 245 not revoked
Earlier, Leader of the Opposition Khursheed Shah said that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) will protest more against the government than the PTI and Pakistan Awami Tehreek if it fails to revoke its decision to implement Article 245 in the fderal capital.
Demanding an explanation for government’s decision to invoke Article 245, the opposition leader said calling the armed forces can be seen as a failure of the government.
“Is the army being called in to stop the protest rallies?” he questioned.
The PPP leader claimed that the imposition of the article was equivalent to trying to eliminate political forces.
In addition to PPP every political party in the opposition opposed government’s decision of invoking Article 245 and demanded for an immediate withdrawal of the decision.
COMMENTS (30)
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This is really the make or break point now for the people of the country. Either the status quo will prevail or all shackles broken. We must not accept anything less than an immediate, fair and free elections, the first step on the road of recovery. The rest shall follow.
we support ik... b/c he is the 1st one who stand up for change
@Rambo Government cant do anything about 4 seats. It is jurisdiction of ECP. Government alongside PTI can reform the whole system but for that PTI needs to take step.
@Sara You are making sense and providing logic that fails these people. Yes I am a PMLN Supporter who flew 17 hour flight to come vote for PMLN, have probably more education that most above average PTI support and my reason to support PMLN is their correct macro economic policies as well as my love to Mian Sahab and great things Itefaq foundation has done with out beating the drum of "We made hospital". They actually made more than one.
@Muhammad Ali Yes rigging has happened in 2013 at much lower rate compared to previous elections per independent bodies as FAFEN etc. The issue here is how to reform the process. This must be done and it can only be done by all stakeholders in Parliament. PTI is not about rigging it is about IK's desire to become PM which will never happen this way. Yes lets fix the rigging issue in Parliament and PTI can take all credit for it for 2018.
@AB It is about principal. PMLN got vote for 5 years and they must like any other government complete their tenure so we can evaluate them. What PTI is trying to do will become a precedent. What when every year and half some one gets 50-60K people. NO this is not the way to solve problems. That is why I will or history will never FORGIVE NS if he cave in. Now is the time to NO RESIGNATION PERIOD. Stand your ground NS. PTI can sit in all they want, only Parliament needs to solve problems and if that is not the case, then we should have martial law for good.
Imran Khan is the only hope for this nation. Thieves like Sharif brotharan must be put behind bars for the amount of rigging they did in the elections not to mention how they got billions of their loans written off illegally. These Sharif brothers are as crooked as they come. Its a shame they were allowed to come back from Jeddah.
Imran has been already declaired as a prime minister of Pakistsn by his supporters . Taliban will push him in Islamsbad on 14th August which they failed to realize due to RED STAR operation
Good luck Imran .
I still can't believe that PTI hasn't got good mathematicians to solve the vote problems. Such an outcry is based on empathy. You will never get votes on empathy, you need to do work and prove your worth of the nation. Speculations and pointing fingers will never win you seats. Actions speak louder than words and yes over the years Punjab has progressed and that has been the main shuttle launch pad for PML-N. There hasn't been any solid work or footing of PTI in the last 40 years, so why would I vote for someone who can't even stick with words.
There have been millions of PML-N voters for the last three to four decades and its impossible to turn this voting decision overnight. Its true that PTI did a good job by breaking some of the vote bank but this ridiculous behavior of PTI is obnoxious. What a hideous democracy is this by PTI !!!
What govt?
@ Umar Ali , The seats that PTI won there was no rigging and the seats where PML(N) won there was a massive rigging.
@Adnan Siddiqi: Now you cannot blame IK for your own mistakes. Told you not to take the mind altering pills.
@ AB Typical PTI attitude just want some dead bodies to put the assembly on fire. This is PTI what it wants.
@Nasir Mahmood: You are right. That's why you should support the demand of TUQ to cleanse the system first. (Sorry it's your own argument turned back at you).
Nothing will change unless and until it is changed. I don't know what will happen on 14th but seeing someone new trying give us the lift. pml n will keep shouting jamoriat bachani hai. WTF. Please derail the good for nothing jamoriat which has only given us corruption,bad governance, family politics.
@Ali. I:
Do remember sunny that there are a couple of beautiful little boys aged 16 and 18 who are coming over to spend their holidays in Pakistan on 14th August. The irony is that they are being dealt with by Russel Brandt at the moment because there own father is thumping his chest and chanting.....Jeena ho ga Murna ho ga Dharna ho ga Dharna ho ga.
Oh did I mention a 21 year old Tyrian?;)
IK, one thing is clear amongst Oversees Pakistani's you are no.1, we support you
If IK were to stop his petulance , the stock market would immediately rebound .
So the stock market doesn't like IK, the electorate is at best lukewarm in him ( he was only capable of winning a minuscule 35 seats ) , the former CJ is demanding that IK apologies for blatantly lying without a shred of evidence , etc.
And yet his petulance knows no end!
@H Chaudhry: Typical PML-N attitude. "burn down Islamabad or whatever", we will not leave power. Good going!
Honestly as a PMLN supporter I just don't think there is any need for Government to make any further efforts. There have been enough talks and the facts don't line, rigging happened less than past and a better system needs to be done in parliament.
At this time, I will suggest PMLN to let this happen. NS will not resign PERIOD so as he will not call for mid term elections PERIOD. Let it make a example here to show whinning and crying has a limit. Let PTI do what they want and burn down Islamabad or whatever. Time heals every thing and N/PMLN only needs to focus on work and go back to people in 2018.
Army may come in and perhaps that will be a good lesson for every one when next elections will happen in 2022 instead or 2024 or whatever.
@ Muslim Leaguer
There is a one 33 years old boy living in UK in multimillion pounds apartment, PTI is utterly planning to deal with him with very heavy hands, do something if u can. Cheers!!
The egoistic Imran Khan is behaving like a stubborn child! His masters (Sh Rasheed & Ch brothers) have charged his battery and pushed him into point of no return. The Government should treat Imran Khan like a parent strictly treating her child spoilt by bad company :)
@Karima Shah:
The corrupt mafia of PML-N and PPP are the ones running scared of the PTI and Imran Khan. The retired Chaudry was also a key player in the rigging, appointing returning officers who were loyal to PML-N and also turning a blind eye to the lack of process management through the electoral process. The ECP was headed by Fakhrudin Ebrahium, a senior citizen who did not know when it was day and when it was night, and once he got the salary of CEC for a few months, he himself stepped down and ran away because he knew how the elections were rigged and he was ashamed of himself and his lack of ability to stop the wrong-doing. All this will be made clearer at the azadi march, but the Sharif brotharan and their fake mandate is about to come crashing down very soon.
Let me remind my PMLN friends that they were also not shy of threatening long marches against PPP govt.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/60806/pml-n-threatens-long-march-awan-says-go-ahead/
Before all PMLN supporters start their "democracy is drowning" sermons, they should think if the same does not apply to when PMLN wanted to do a long march?
Guess PMLN are happy to dish it out, but don't like it when they are on the receiving end. I think the word that describes this is Hypocrisy.
such marches are beauty of democracy
By demanding the resignation of the Government and New Elections, Imran forgot that the same Election Commission will hold the elections and if he loses again, what would be his slogan and what approach he will follow?
This march will not stop until punishment is given to those who did rigging in May 11 and a proper Electoral reform plan is not implemented with in 6 months, is there any thing unconstitutional in this demand, would this democracy becomes week if these demands are met, I think the Mafia looting Pakistan since 67 years would defiantly become week for sure..
It seems to me that Nisar, Nawaz, Shabaz, Saad Rafique and their mouth-piece Syed Khursheed Shah, are all scared of the PTI exposing the rigging that brought them into power. They talk about 'derailing democracy' each time they are faced with a crisis. Well, as we all know the 2013 elections were massively rigged so letting a government stay in power, which did not even have a legit mandate to begin with. would actually derail democracy. Instead, this government should be shown the door, and all those who took part in rigging the 2013 elections should be punished and made ineligible to contest again, then we should have fresh elections. And guess what, if there are free and fair elections held in Pakistan, the PTI would be the majority party, followed by the PPP, the MQM and THEN the PML-N. The Sharifs know that and thats why they are scared of the PTI and Imran Khan.