Political crisis: Imran says success of talks depends on govt’s sincerity

Urges PM Nawaz to resume stalled talks from where they had left off

LAHORE:

Linking the success of the talks with the sincerity of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) led government, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan on Saturday called upon Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to resume the stalled negotiations from where they had left off.

“If you are serious about the negotiations, we will continue the effort [right] from where it had left off. If [Prime Minister] Nawaz Sharif is sincere about negotiations, we may reach a conclusion within 48 hours,” Imran told PTI workers and office-bearers in Lahore.

The PTI chief was visiting the city to drum up support for his city shutdown plan on December 15. His party has been staging sit-ins in Islamabad since August 16 and has now started a series of strikes to pressurise the government into accepting its demand for an independent audit of the May 2013 elections which, it claims ,were rigged in favour of the ruling PML-N.



Imran pointed out that Nawaz’s party and PTI had all but hammered out an agreement on crunch questions during their previous round of talks. The sticking point, however, was proving that the PML-N was involved in rigging the May 2013 general election, he added.

“While the process of resumption of talks is under way and the two rival parties may sit together even on Tuesday, the delay by the government is telling,” said Imran. The government, according to the PTI chief, could have started negotiations even on Friday but chose not to.

Imran warned the government against using its ‘Gullu Butts’ to stop his protest. “Let there be no mistake that the PTI’s youth will counter [your attempt]. And then whatever happens will be the responsibility of the government,” he said.

“Don’t resort to violence, but if they commit violence then don’t yield,” he told his supporters. “On Monday Lahore cannot be stopped,” he added.

Speaking about a recent incident involving manhandling of journalists during the PTI’s Karachi shutdown on Friday, he said there had been a ‘mistake’ in Karachi. “But we are not sure whether those involved in the incident were PTI workers or not,” he added.

Imran urged his workers to convince people to close their shops on Monday. He said he is aware of the meeting, in which the government has decided to ‘force’ markets to remain open. He said if change is required then the people of Lahore should sacrifice one day.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 14^th, 2014.