On army chief's advice, govt to pursue talks with PTI, PAT again
Prime minister and army chief met for the second time in three days against the backdrop of government’s lingering deadlock with PTI and PAT.
Insiders told The Express Tribune that Nawaz briefed the army chief about talks with Qadri and Imran.
According to sources, the premier told General Raheel that government had agreed to accept first two demands of PAT in return for Qadri calling off the sit-in outside the Parliament.
But an agreement could not be reached after Qadri refused to accept the government’s condition, sources said.
Sources further said the army chief advised the prime minister to give talks one more chance and after which the government decided to approach both PTI and PAT.
A senior government official claimed that the army chief conveyed a clear message to both Qadri and Imran to resolve the impasse through dialogue.
“It was agreed to take necessary measures for resumption of stalled process of negotiations for an expeditious resolution in the best national interest,” the spokesperson for the PM House added.
The crucial meeting was held hours after talks between government and Qadri broke down on Wednesday evening over the registration of First Information Report (FIR) of Model Town incident.
Following the meeting between the COAS and premier, the government agreed to accept Qadri’s demand of FIR.
The official while requesting anonymity also said the next 24 hours would be very crucial.
He also insisted that the army chief extended his support to the government in the face off of brewing political tensions.
However, army officials could not be reached for their reaction on the meeting between General Raheel and Nawaz Sharif.
Later, both PAT and PTI accepted army chief’s role as mediator and guarantor to end the crisis.
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It was failure of Govt. to handle things, or respond timely, If PTI demand was taken serious to recount votes 14 months ago and similarly, if an FIR of the Model Town incident had been registered immediately, there would have been no sit-ins by PAT.
@cmann: Sir gee. The advice came, "after" the COAS met with these paper tigers..
Indians on this website who are commenting cannot stand the notion that the people of pakistan love the army and will stand by it. People of pakistan know better than to trust indian agents.
i think, PTI and PAT should be ashame. crying like kids, wasting time of public (both in protest and islamabds). more specific making fun of pakistan in front of whole world.
i think these both kids are inspired by " Nayak" ek din ka Chief Minister. lol @Shahid:
That is the Game plan. PTI and Diesel are army agents. Another coup by the army to weaken democracy in Pakistan. All these probably because Nawaz took peace initiatives with India to improve Pakistan and Army wants the crisis to remain so that they can flourish at the expense of the nation. On one side they let loose their dogs and on another front they initiated indiscriminate firing at the Indian boarder. Pak army will never allow Pakistan to grow.
@Dilawar: Actually it is the ring master stepping in to control the animals he let loose, all the while pretending to be the umpire.
So, the whole game was to twist the arm of NS so that the (e)stablishment could dictate policy on India, Afghanistan, USA, and to let Musharraf free.
In a recent TV discussion, Musharraf's lawyer and Senior APML member, Ahmer Raza Kassuri made some important disclosures. He said that he is giving a free advise to Nawaz Sharif to end the PTI and PAT agitations/demonstrations. He said all that Nawaz Sharif has to do is to lift the phone, call Musharraf and tell him that he has made a grave mistake and request Musharraf to forgive him for anything and everything Nawaz Sharif has done to him. He said if Nawaz Sharif does so, PTI and PAT demonstrations will end in five minutes and Nawaz Sharif can complete his full term as Prime Minister of Pakistan. The Army cannot tolerate Musharraf punished for treason. Baluch want Musharraf hanged and will not forgive if Musharraf is left free. Nawaz Sharif is not willing to forget the past. Imran Khan has joined Qadri to take advantage of the situation and realize his dreams of becoming the Prime Minister of Pakistan. PTI was itself popped up by Gen. Pasha. It would be a party like Sheikh Rasheed's AML had it not been for Pasha engineering defections from other parties to join PTI. When Musharraf was in power, he brought in Shaukat Aziz a foreign citizen as Pakistan's Prime Minister. Shaukat Aziz left Pakistan, never to come back, as soon as his term as Prime Minister ended. At one time, leaders of Pakistan's three largest political parties were in exile. Nawaz Sharif himself was on asylum. The army itself was sheltering OBL and taliban terrorists. So much for the loyalty and love of their country by everyone, including the Army and Imran Khan.
I am afraid Pakistan is in trouble when the PM asks the military chief for advice. Mr Prime Minister, it does not give me any pleasure to explain that the buck stops with you, and that is why you were given the top job. If you cannot handle the pressure you will have to get out, and give the job to someone who can.
@Imran Qadri: Spot on. Tell us more, please.
Done is done cannot be undone. PM Nawaz had been too stubborn and did not listen to Imran and or Qadri and tried his best through his blue-eyed men to break off their dharnas but none of the two leaders budged even an inch from their instance and therefore PM Nawaz in order to save his skin had to seek the help of army chief to mediate and get it sorted out. Mian sahib, if nit annoying, why did you ignore Imran when he asked for investigating poll results if just 4 constituencies? Will you personify who advised you alike? Iqbal Hadi Zaidi / Former Diplomat / Kuwait / Mobile 00965-66229897 / zaidiformerdiplomat@hotmail.com
Good decision by the Government to get the army involved.Better not to bungle like they did in Lahore.The paper tigers IK and Qadri will bow down before the army chief,and things will be better,though not back to square one.PMLN has learned the lesson,even though hard way.IK and Qadri are such that their egos wont let them learn from experience,and will keep on whining.Qadri will go back to Canada after his exciting vacation in Pakistan.IK will find another excuse to hold Dharana-IK/PTI love dharnas. Keeps them in the news.
Well stated Mr. Lodhie,
In the name of democracy it has always been Lootocracy,civilian dictatorship,and the people of Pakistan have been made fool of.we the people should wake up and stand for ourselves otherwise die like animals.
@Dr Majid: No way Qadri and IK just played the role to weaken the NS. Full marks to Pakistan political parties who tried their level best to convince IK. But he didn't agree. Full marks to NS who make sure that no violance or killing activity take place.
@samina: Your visionary leader would accept all the offers which were given by Pmln. They offered DG FIA chairman Nadra appointments, Tors of judicial commission etc. even they were ready to give him the deputy PM just to make sure that the rigging investigation may be held in fair manner. IK want to topple the govt and as a last chance Pmln asked Raheel Sharif to act as a mediator. All political parties were on same page except PTI. IK once again affected the image of Pakistan politician. Full marks to NS who carefully handled the crises by making sure that no blood shed or violence take place.
http://www.dawn.com/news/1128364/nawaz-close-to-reaching-deal-with-army-wsj . Shame on you Imran Khan. My all dear PTI fellows please read the above mentioned report of Wall Street journal. It was a planned show of IK and Qadri and the objective is to weaken the Nawaz Sharif. All are looser the winner is Army. Where is Azadi and where is Inqilab. All political leadership tried their level best to convince IK but the objective of this guy is to topple the govt. Inshallah every one would see that 2013 elections were fair.
*advice
@WASEEM Haha! I pity your lack of knowledge. Get rid of these "anarchists" and the dollar will rise from 103 to 150. Just like it rose from 60 to 98.
The army needs to tread very carefully here ...... in politics perception trumps reality.
@Jadugar: How can anyone in Pakistan cry about corruption when everyone has a role in it. For that matter, the same is true in all Muslim countries. Pakistan was making baby steps towards restoring a functioning democratic system that would carry the country forward but clearly certain elements do not want democracy to succeed. All over the world democracy is seen as an imperfect system but it is still the best. Imran Khan and Tahirul Qadri want to rule through protests but the future is only in following the democratic system and strengthening institutions. I am glad the PM did not yield an inch to these anarchists because it would only encourage more lawless behavior and late night music parties in the capital. Stop dharna nonsense and work for the country everyone!
It is the test for IK and Qadri and their supporters. Let us see how they end their agitation without taking care of all the problems of poor masses and getting rid of PM and corrupt system. Or it would be the rigged game as usual like the past history proves. It used to be NS against the elected govt of PPP and then PPP against NS without any changes in the plight of common man except military dictators and officials taking over. Now PPP is unwilling to be used so there are other actors who would take away the powers of elected govt and make army strong not solve problems of poor masses who would again lose and forgotten. How many times this game is going to be played and people would be fooled for the fifthtime. Fooled me once shame on you fooled me twice shame on me. How about being fooled again and again by the same actors on the same allegations against elected govts? Gen Ayub, Gen Zia’s families can be billionaires and Mush can go without trial but only elected leaders are punished. The generals in their long reigns have kept the tribal, feudal and old system of corruption intact and exploited it for their personal gains and powers. Generals have always kept the losers and unelectable actors who always join them to rule the masses. This third world country has the most powerful and richest generals in the world. When all said and done what has these people on the streets achieved for the poor?
So a government overwhelmingly elected by a nation of 200 million people will have to share power with the army because a few hundred or thousand protestors led by their leaders are not happy for various reasons.
This is a most depressing day for democracy in Pakistan and indeed for the country in general where any political protest or dispute is resolved by the army intervening and the elected government losing its authority. There is not much hope for this country.
@Jadugar Yes, you are right. "The guilty should be removed and punished"... but that too has to happen either thorugh judiciary or by democratic means.. I mean by voting them out... But sorry, you wont get my point.. if you punish them by any other means, you are inviting a dictator upon yourself... only thing is, you pray that the dictator is not crooked. then you will come on roads to get democracy back in Pakistan... you people keep seeing the grass on the other side more greener... i think you would continue to cycle through dictatorship, democracy, dictatorship, democracy, ...
I shall request the army chief to completely side with PM and not with dharna people as it has effected our image in worlds eyes and we are disgraced. Dharna people have not only damaged Pakistan economically but also told people of world that no body is there to take care of Pakistan and bureaucrats and government officials have no regard of law and they side with miscreants. If an ordinary citizen does a small crime he is put to jail while all the dacoits are free and are looting people while dharna people are openly violating state laws and no body arrests them while common people are suffering, For Allahs sake have mercy on Pakistan and defuse dharnas and allow democratic government to work.India and Afghanistan are ready to wage war but we are laughing at our brothers and causing big damage to Pakistan
Are the co Regents Nawaz and Shahbaz able to handle a crises?...a resounding no! They had to go to the Head Master, and complain and whine, about being bullied and harassed. Were told,..'if you want to play in the sandlot, you abide by the sandlot rules..'
Even if nawaz survives, in reality he will go from being PM nawaz to mayor of isb nawaz.
How convenient... And now our beloved army will bear the "burden" to step in and resolve this crises...
This whole fiasco is the creation of the very same military establishment..
Gen Raheel Shareef as President and Nawaz Shareef as Prime Minister may be answer to end the dharnas. Iqbal Hadi Zaidi / Former Diplomat / Kuwait / Mobile 00965-66229897 / zaidiformerdiplomat@hotmail.com
@ Adil Malik, If the word Democracy is used as a coverup for corruption, illegal power grabbing, Land grabbing and killing people etc. Pakistani or No Pakistani, The guilty should be removed and punished
Why is Prime Minister meeting with Army? He is an elected PM under the constitution. It is fine if PM meets in personal capacity to discuss the situation on individual level with Army. But before he does he should inform the Army Chieff to be in civilian clothes for a meeting. And if Army Chief agrees to talk to instigators then he should hold talks with them in civilian clothes. PM must live and die by the constitution of the country and Army has no role to play but what it is under the constitution. The person may be the Army Chief but Supreme Commander is the President of the country and Army is bound to obey the President's orders. PM must rely on his political mandate and not on those who are legally bound to take orders. These men in uniform have done enough damage to the country since 1947 and it is PM's duty to keep them in proper limits. IK and TQ must keep their protests in check and must fully abide by the constitution. IK is now crying foul and being impatient in getting PM slot. They are giving a simple example that country's law is undependable and unreliable and no one should obey it. IK must play the game within rules. He has done enough in 2013 elections to work hard and enhance his poitical stature but sad he is trying to be a Messiah of this nation in civilian clothes like the God sent Messiahs such as Ayub, Zia and Musharraf in uniform. He does not have the street power to hold the country hostage under his false claims. He should have fought rigging in election tribunals all the way to Supreme Court election tribunals and must prove his alleged rigging there if he claims he has evidence. And that is the democratic and constituional way and this is how masses become politically and constitutionally educated. Remember Al Gore lost U.S Presidential elections by a mere 1,500 votes but when U.S Supreme Court stopped recounted he conceded the elections in a graceful manner. Further Al Gore had the support of over 50 million people in U.S he did not cry foul in the center of Washington D.C to destabilize democratic traditions and to run a smear campaign against judiciary. Please do not misguide people and respect the mandate and work hard in your constitutencies.
Pakistan continues to be ruled by the corrupt for 60 years who do not want allow "Equal Justice for ALL" to ever come into Pakistan. They keep the masses illiterate even though the constitution call for "Education for ALL" which includes millions of illiterate children and adults in rural areas and villages. The leaderships have always made false promises to get or buy the votes and then quickly change when they get voted in, Exactly same has taken place in the NS 15 months. No electricity, no education, huge new money borrowing putting country into deeper debt than before. Presently DEMOCRACY is just a farce to fool the 180 million all the time. Change has to come. Pakistan is one of the most resource rich countries of the world yet acts like beggars.
Allah bless Pakistan Army. Army Chief should teach a lesson to these Dharna leaders who are playing with the economy of Pakistan.
2nd meeting with the Army Chief!!! Situation must be getting serious. This Chief seems to an No nonsense kind of a guy. Nisar saying the the Army chief was TOLD, I don't think so, It must be the other way around. The Chief told him so.
What a joke Nawaz Sharif, Imran Khan and Qadri have made Pakistan! Might as well make Pakistan secular..only I wish.
political rulers proved their incompetence to resolve the crisis in a mature way. Now the PM will be lame duck even if he survives and army will call the shots in key policy areas. Mush is definitely going abroad and Imran khan and Qadri emerged as counterweight to PML and other status quo parties and are likely to be harbinger for electoral reforms in Pakistan.
Hopefully, no martial law. COAS should protect the democracy. He should play his positive role to end this illegitimate and unconstitutional dharna.
Raheel Sahib, you are also Pakistani. You should respect the democracy and mandate of public. I hope you will do so. Mandate given by public to PML-N should be respected.
I request Chief Sahib to please arrest both anarchists who are busy in Dharna at the cost of economy of Pakistan. Dollar has risen from 98 to 103 during this so-called long march. Stock exchange is also badly affected. Foreign investment is badly affected. Home remittances is badly affected. Dharna people are observing Civil Disobedience. Entire nation is sitting before television. We want to get rid of these anarchists.
It is a fight to restore the dignity of a common man and put pakistan under checks and balances versus a group of continued exploiters who are looting the nation unchecked under the guise of so called democracy/Lootocracy.The country is at a very crucial juncture which will determine the fate of the country.The army has to decide if the want to side with the nation or a group of exploters who want to loot country's resources unchecked.
Asking Army to resolve 'political' crisis. Shame on you PML-N!
So at the end of the day Big Brother has to bail this "Democracy" out, Long Live Pak Army!