ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has decided in principle to resume talks with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to resolve issues surrounding claims of rigging in May 2013 general elections.
PTI chairman Imran Khan had on Sunday announced “Plan-C” which would include shutter down strikes in Lahore, Faisalabad, Karachi, before bringing the entire country to a standstill if his demands to hold an impartial poll inquiry are not met by mid-December.
Imran also warned of presenting a “Plan-D”, which he said would be more difficult for the government to tackle if his “Plan-C” failed to work.
According to sources, the prime minister has tasked Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and some other “soft-spoken” party leaders, including Ahsan Iqbal, to revive the dialogue process.
Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Khursheed Shah had also suggested that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif re-engage PTI in talks and end the drawn out political crises. Shah further urged the PM to take other political parties on-board for playing their role in convincing Imran and his party to move towards a settlement.
Talking to a private TV channel, information minister Pervez Rashid confirmed the move.
“We want negotiations to resume, and settle the issue amicably,” Rashid said. “In this regard the prime minister has asked Dar sb to take the initiative.”
Talking to The Express Tribune, Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal said the government was in contact with the PTI leadership, even before the November 30 PTI rally.
Iqbal added that he had spoken to PTI vice chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Saturday, and both the leaders had agreed to resume talks after the rally.
“PTI also wants to come to the table, and we hope things would be settled positively,” Iqbal said.
The PML-N leader said that the government wanted the PTI to play its due role for the country’s development, but in parliament.
COMMENTS (14)
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Dear Nawaz Sharif, please do not indulge into any further dialogues with this deranged person. Slay him politically, He is already looking for a way out but dont give him that . If you give him a space to survive today , tomorrow again he will raise his head. Let him learn politics first. I again request you, never to engage him in dialogues, this man does'nt know the decent way of dialogues.
Nawaz under pressure. Go Nawaz go
@Parvez: The government should ignore PTI demands and Imran Khan's never ending threats to damage the country. If they give in to every sore loser in an election, it sets a bad example for the future. Let Imran keep crying and protesting from his container until 2018. This will teach the next VIP rich boy who thinks he can march on the parliament and take over because he lost an election.
Among all the bluster of a city and country wide shutdown, which will be another damp squib like the civil disobedience call, let it not be forgotten that PTI has finally come down from its high pedestal of asking for PM 's resignation. The call for shutdown is just a fig leaf. One can imagine PTI leaders sitting and licking their self inflicted wounds - but then do they really have any leader of substance. If yes, they should have had seen this day coming much earlier.
A Tale of Two Talks...India vs TI ++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I don't understand why they need dialogue? Government knew PTI demands. After dropping demand of PM resignation, now it should be up to the government to announce what measures they are taking to investigate rigging. Even if we accept PMLN claim that they got people mandate, then it should be their top most priority to safeguard interest of Pakistan. PTI may be using money on dharna and rallies but it is provided by supporter volunteerly, while Government is wasting billion of tax payers money in the name of security where they are trying to stop people from dharna and jlasa.
What is Imran's plan after plan Z? Can we go backwards please, as it seems all his plans from A-Z will fail?
You fool me once, shame on you. You fool me twice, shame on me.
It is the surprising factor that PTI leaders are intentionally declaring that their A, B plan has failed. While they them self put strange dates for new action in December 2014 and next day they changed them. No one in this world declares their failures in this way rather they can simply say that they are extending their activities beside Dharna for better achievement..
Look at the stand and look at the ambitions for Naya Pakistan.
People want a peaceful Pakistan and I think there is no room for ‘ego clashes’ in Pakistan. Therefore, the businessman from Gawalmandi and the front man of those who give the world 90% of white gold, now cannot damage Pakistan anymore, it’s in their own interest, talk and decide their own future.
Nawaz and Zardari should know that they are no more powerful in Pakistan politics , third force is there now, which is more strongest then combined force of later two.
Hope they understand that a dialogue is a two way exchange.....with a result orientated ending. Up to now it seems the government has been using the filibustering technique in order to frustrate rather than accomodate.