Breaking the deadlock: Political Jirga to engage amenable PTI, PAT
Skirmishes between protesters, police continue for third day.
ISLAMABAD:
The government and the protesting parties – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) – agreed on Monday to resume the negotiation process that had hit a deadlock over the demand for the resignation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
The development came as workers from both parties continued to push ahead with their march towards the Prime Minister House clashing with riot police en route. Sporadic skirmishes continued throughout the day as riot police fired tear gas canisters to stop the advancing marchers.
PTI General Secretary Dr Arif Alvi said that negotiations with the government should continue or matters ‘could get worse’. In response, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said a ‘political Jirga’ will soon approach the PTI to break the impasse. The Jirga would comprise representatives from all political parties, he added.
Later in the evening, PPP information secretary Qamar Zaman Kaira met with PAT chief Dr Tahirul Qadri in his custom-built shipping container on the Constitution Avenue.
“I will return tomorrow [Tuesday] and I’m hopeful there will be a breakthrough,” he said while addressing the media. “It would have been better if the protesters had stayed on the Constitution Avenue but the PTI and PAT had proved during the last 17 days that they were peaceful.” He added that the government should not have used force against the protesters.
Discussing his meeting with Dr Qadri, he said, “We respect the Constitution and democracy whereas both the parties are talking about these two things.” He said he was playing a positive role and was not able to take any decisions as he was not in the government.
Asked about de-seated PTI president Javed Hashmi’s allegations against the party, Kaira said, “I feel sorry that a political worker like Hashmi levelled such allegations.” Refuting Hashmi’s allegations that a deal with the Supreme Court had been settled, he said, “If this were the case, Imran Khan would have accepted the judicial commission announced by the government.”
However, Imran did not mention Hashmi in his address on Monday, but he warned that PTI supporters would surround the Aabpara police station if his arrested workers were not released by today (Tuesday).
Imran again said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s rule has come to an end. “In 48 hours, we will say goodbye to Nawaz,” he remarked. He also revealed that a PTI worker was killed in the morning – the third day of violent clashes with the police – after being hit by a bullet.
Earlier in the day, brutal clashes continued on the third consecutive day between the riot police and workers of PAT and PTI, many of whom came armed with batons and slingshots.
The protesters claimed their first success when they attacked the PTV headquarters but leaders of both the PTI and PAT disowned them. Dr Qadri claimed those ransacking the PTV building were not his supporters while Imran said PTI workers did not join those breaking into the building. “Whoever entered the PTV headquarters is not part of PTI,” he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 2nd, 2014.
The government and the protesting parties – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) – agreed on Monday to resume the negotiation process that had hit a deadlock over the demand for the resignation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
The development came as workers from both parties continued to push ahead with their march towards the Prime Minister House clashing with riot police en route. Sporadic skirmishes continued throughout the day as riot police fired tear gas canisters to stop the advancing marchers.
PTI General Secretary Dr Arif Alvi said that negotiations with the government should continue or matters ‘could get worse’. In response, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said a ‘political Jirga’ will soon approach the PTI to break the impasse. The Jirga would comprise representatives from all political parties, he added.
Later in the evening, PPP information secretary Qamar Zaman Kaira met with PAT chief Dr Tahirul Qadri in his custom-built shipping container on the Constitution Avenue.
“I will return tomorrow [Tuesday] and I’m hopeful there will be a breakthrough,” he said while addressing the media. “It would have been better if the protesters had stayed on the Constitution Avenue but the PTI and PAT had proved during the last 17 days that they were peaceful.” He added that the government should not have used force against the protesters.
Discussing his meeting with Dr Qadri, he said, “We respect the Constitution and democracy whereas both the parties are talking about these two things.” He said he was playing a positive role and was not able to take any decisions as he was not in the government.
Asked about de-seated PTI president Javed Hashmi’s allegations against the party, Kaira said, “I feel sorry that a political worker like Hashmi levelled such allegations.” Refuting Hashmi’s allegations that a deal with the Supreme Court had been settled, he said, “If this were the case, Imran Khan would have accepted the judicial commission announced by the government.”
However, Imran did not mention Hashmi in his address on Monday, but he warned that PTI supporters would surround the Aabpara police station if his arrested workers were not released by today (Tuesday).
Imran again said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s rule has come to an end. “In 48 hours, we will say goodbye to Nawaz,” he remarked. He also revealed that a PTI worker was killed in the morning – the third day of violent clashes with the police – after being hit by a bullet.
Earlier in the day, brutal clashes continued on the third consecutive day between the riot police and workers of PAT and PTI, many of whom came armed with batons and slingshots.
The protesters claimed their first success when they attacked the PTV headquarters but leaders of both the PTI and PAT disowned them. Dr Qadri claimed those ransacking the PTV building were not his supporters while Imran said PTI workers did not join those breaking into the building. “Whoever entered the PTV headquarters is not part of PTI,” he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 2nd, 2014.