Political quagmire: Talks remain bogged down over crunch questions

Government conveys its objections to PTI over its draft proposals.

ISLAMABAD:

Negotiators of both the government and the protesting parties were bogged down on Thursday in a bitter stalemate after their leaders hardened their positions, squeezing out the space for further political accommodation.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif began the day by holding separate meetings with heads of parliamentary parties and members of the opposition Jirga tasked to resolve the political crisis gripping the nation for the last three weeks.

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, who is a close confidant of the prime minister, unveiled the government’s response and drew up a list of objections to the original proposals put forth by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

According to an official spokesperson, a detailed reply was prepared by the government in response to the PTI proposals. Before sharing the same with the PTI leadership, government officials took parliamentary leaders into confidence.

Sources claimed that there was bitter wrangling on almost every single issue. They also warned that unless both sides showed some degree of flexibility, it would be nearly impossible to reach an agreement, citing a vast gap in understanding.

Electoral reforms seem to be the only issue where any headway has been seen so far. Both parties remain poles apart on the remaining terms proposed by PTI.

Similarly, agreement on the terms of reference of the proposed Judicial Commission, which is supposed to probe allegations of rigging during last year’s elections, remained elusive. The ruling PML-N and PTI have serious differences over appointments to a new election commission for the next polls.

One basic split between the interpretations of both negotiating committees continued to be the definition of rigging – PTI’s primary claim. The government firmly believes that an inquiry that proves “systematic” rigging had taken place during last year’s general elections should spell the end of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s term in office.

Meanwhile, as the stalemate continued, fissures have emerged between the government and other opposition parties, who have so far kept their distance from the protesters.

In a rare confrontation, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan lashed out at senior PPP leader Senator Aitzaz Ahsan. Nisar’s comments prompted an immediate apology from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shahbaz Sharif to Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Khursheed Shah.

According to sources, the ruling party has also voiced its dissatisfaction over the efforts of the opposition Jirga spearheaded by the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and its chief Sirajul Haq.

In his meeting with leaders of parliamentary parties, the prime minister cautioned the opposition Jirga against conceding too much without any substantial concessions from PTI and PAT leadership.

Reservations on the role of Rehman Malik, who was appointed by former president Asif Ali Zardari to represent his party during the mediation process, have also been raised by some ruling party members.

“He has hijacked everything. They (Jirga members) seem to be tilted towards the protesters and are conceding too much,” said a key government official on the condition of anonymity.

The jirga has been tasked by the government to mediate an end to the deadlock after talks between the two sides collapsed last week.

The next round of talks between the government and PTI, PAT teams has been delayed till today (Friday).

‘Building up pressure on protestors’

In its bid chalk out an agreement with PAT chief, the government has conveyed to the PAT negotiating team that it had already registered an FIR on the Model Town incident according to its request. However, the government has told negotiators that the demand for both the resignations of the prime minister and Punjab chief minister was unacceptable.

“We have already conveyed to PAT leadership that we have accepted whatever is acceptable to us among his (Qadri’s) demands,” said a minister.

In his speech the PAT chief reiterated that he would demand the registration of another case against key government functionaries, including the prime minister, over deaths during last Saturday’s clashes.

“Parliament [also] needs to think why these protesters are here,” the PAT chief said. “We will not go back. I am opening a school here, it will be called Inqilab March School,” he added, before cutting his speech short due to heavy rain.

PTI ready to cooperate over Chinese president’s visit

With the Chinese president’s visit cancelled, PTI leaders Khursheed Mehmood Kasuri and Asad Umar assured the government that their party was ready to relocate their stage away from Constitution Avenue if it would result in the visit taking place.

Shahbaz Sharif meets COAS

Islamabad was also rife with news of a purported meeting between Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and army chief General Raheel Sharif. However, details were not shared with the media. According to the capital grapevine, the two discussed the current political turmoil affecting the country during the meeting.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 5^th, 2014.