The jirga of opposition parties on Wednesday succeeded in bringing the government and the protesting parties back to the negotiation table for direct talks after a stalemate of four days and both sides announced that they would continue dialogue.
No side shared details of their talks but said they had agreed to continue the negotiations with the help of opposition jirga.
The jirga – led by Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Sirajul Haq – claimed that they had presented a formula to end the crisis which was under discussion. However, they did not want to make it public till some substantial progress was made, they added.
Earlier, the jirga had another round of separate meetings with both protesting parties. The delegation later conveyed to the government that both parties were ready to engage in direct talks with government once again.
PTI negotiators after their meeting with the government team said no breakthrough could be achieved but claimed that some positive development could be expected in the next round agreed by both sides to take place today (Thursday)
Sources said the issue of resignation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif still remains the real bone of contention. During their talks with the government team led by Senator Ishaq Dar, the PTI team discussed the purported formula proposed by the opposition jirga.
Sources said the PTI wants solid guarantees that prime minister will resign once an inquiry commission finds out that the May 11, 2013 elections were rigged. These include prime minister’s public statement and signatures of heads of parliamentary parties as well as a guarantee from some credible office which could implement the promise.
The government seems ready to probe the allegations but it says prime minister would resign only once it is proved that rigging was systematic and it resulted in brining the PML-N into power by changing the whole mandate.
A team of PAT leaders also had a meeting with government team at the residence of Senator Rehman Malik. Later, Malik claimed a ‘model’ to end the crisis has been formulated. Talking to reporters, both sides said they would continue talks and were hopeful that matters would be resolved through dialogue.
Zardari calls for flexibility
Meanwhile, former president and Pakistan Peoples Party Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari has asked the two sides to show flexibility and resolve the crisis before the Chinese president’s visit.
Talking to reporters after the meeting of PPP parliamentary party at Zardari House, the PPP leader Qamar Zaman Qaira said the government should listen to genuine demands of protesting parties and show flexibility. He said a middle way should be found to end the crisis.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 4th, 2014.
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Govt should buy these protesters by giving money to them. How about ten or twenty thousands per person and taxi ride back to home. Children will get free ride if less than two yrs.. Let us see if PTI and PAT could exceed the offer. Money talks.