Talks between the government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) collapsed again on Saturday following Imran Khan’s demand that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif go on leave for 30-days while a Supreme Court-led judicial commission investigates claims of rigging in the May 2013 elections.
“We came with a reasonable proposal. The ball is in the government’s court now,” the party’s vice president Shah Mehmood Qureshi said following the third round of negotiations. “It is up to the government to decide whether or not they want to engage in talks.”
Although the government again insisted that there was no justification for asking Prime Minister Nawaz to step aside, its leaders said they would persist with efforts to engage PTI in dialogue.
“We have not given up yet… we will continue our efforts to carry out negotiations,” said Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar, who is part of the government team conducting talks with the PTI.
Negotiators from the protesting party, however, hinted there may not be another round of negotiations.
Talking to reporters, Qureshi justified PTI’s amended demand for the premier to go on leave for a month, saying it was necessary to ensure that the judicial commission carries out a fair investigation into rigging allegations.
“Nawaz can continue as prime minister if the commission finds no proof of rigging,” the PTI leader said. “But if reports of rigging are confirmed, there should be fresh elections under an independent election commission,” he added.
Qureshi spelled out other conditions as well, without which he said the commission’s findings would be unacceptable. “The government must appoint uncontroversial heads of NADRA and FIA, and an uncontroversial ECP secretary…the commission must conduct daily hearings and finish its task in 30 days… the commission should also present its findings as directions, rather than recommendations, to concerned quarters.”
PTI also demanded that the government register an FIR according to the findings of the Lahore sessions court judge.
Responding to criticism, Qureshi said PTI wants to “strengthen, not derail democracy” through its actions. “We are not asking for a national government or dissolution of assemblies… We don’t support martial law,” he said.
“We had come [for talks] with sincerity, keeping in view the interest of the country, but it seems they [the government] is bent on destroying everything to save one person.”
On the other hand, Punjab Governor Chaudhry Sarwar said that while government has agreed to accept PTI demands regarding the NADRA and FIA chiefs, and ECP secretary, forcing the premier to step aside was out of the question.
“Everyone is innocent until proven guilty,” he said.
Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal, who was also part of the team negotiating on the government’s behalf, said the government was willing to introduce electoral reforms and ready to accept a solution in harmony with both the law and the Constitution.
“We agreed to form a judicial commission, and we agree there should be new elections with rigging allegations are proven,” he said. “But there no justification to demand the prime minister’s resignation,” he added.
“We accepted every reasonable demand put forth by PTI,” Iqbal said.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 24th, 2014.
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