Pakistan

Optimistic: Dialogue would bear positive results for all, says Pervaiz Rashid

Says PTI has two main demands which have already been accepted

APP December 13, 2014

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Senator Pervaiz Rashid on Friday said the government is expecting dialogue with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which would bear positive result for all.

Talking to various TV channels, he said the result should be such in which neither side wins nor loses.

The minister said PTI had only two major demands including electoral reforms and probe of rigging allegations through a judicial commission, adding, the demands had already been accepted by the government.

Electoral Reforms Committee having representation of all the parliamentary parties is already working while the prime minister had also written a letter to the Supreme Court on August 13 for the formation of a judicial commission, he added.

The minister said there was no need of protests and sit-ins as PTI could get its demands accepted without agitation.

He said it would be good if PTI comes to the table and creates a conducive environment so that judicial commission could start its work.

Pervaiz Rashid said due to these sit-ins and protests, not only the visits of foreign dignitaries, including Chinese president, were cancelled but the economy and society had also been affected badly.

He said Prime Minister could only write a letter to the Supreme Court for the formation of a judicial commission, and being an independent institution it was solely in the domain of the court to decide about its formation.

The minister was of the view that the language used by Imran Khan about former judges and chief election commissioner could probably be a reason in the delay in the formation of the commission.

Responding to a question, he said to bring consensus based constitutional amendment, Imran Khan should be in parliament.

Replying to another question, he said if there was no Sheikh Rashid and only Imran Khan and Shah Mehmood Qureshi in Lahore protest then the protest would be peaceful.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 13^th, 2014.