Stalled talks: PPP offers to mediate between government, PTI
Shah offers to nominate representatives from PPP for a political delegation to sit in on dialogue between PTI, govt
Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Khursheed Shah. PHOTO: AFP
ISLAMABAD:
As the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) hit a deadlock on probing the May 2013 general elections, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Wednesday proposed that representatives of other political parties should also sit in on the dialogue between the two groups.
Imran Khan’s PTI and government have pointed fingers at each other for failing to reach an agreement on the mechanism for investigating alleged rigging in May 2013 general elections.
But, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Khursheed Shah suggested on Wednesday that if a delegation comprising members of other political parties is included in the talks, it would be possible to ascertain facts surrounding the deadlock.
Shah offered to nominate representatives from the PPP for such a committee.
Responding to a question he said, “PPP would not table any resolution in the National Assembly to demand de-seating PTI members from the House over their continuous non-participation.
PTI lawmakers had submitted their resignations with the National Assembly speaker in August last year, however the speaker has yet to take a decision on these resignations.
Imran has now linked a return to assembly halls with establishment of the judicial commission.
The deadlock on certain points of the terms of reference had resulted in the breakdown of talks following the latest round of talks between PTI and the ruling PML-N in December.
On Tuesday, Imran had threatened that his party would be forced to return to the streets in a repeat of its street campaign between August and December 2014, if the government fails to form the judicial commission by January 18.
On December 17, 2014, the PTI chief had called off his four month long sit-in in front of the Parliament and a nation-wide strike call in the wake of the terrorist attack in Peshawar which left over a hundred students and teachers dead.
To a question about reported marriage of PTI chief Imran Khan, Shah said he would not comment on it since it is the PTI’s head personal matter.
As the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) hit a deadlock on probing the May 2013 general elections, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Wednesday proposed that representatives of other political parties should also sit in on the dialogue between the two groups.
Imran Khan’s PTI and government have pointed fingers at each other for failing to reach an agreement on the mechanism for investigating alleged rigging in May 2013 general elections.
But, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Khursheed Shah suggested on Wednesday that if a delegation comprising members of other political parties is included in the talks, it would be possible to ascertain facts surrounding the deadlock.
Shah offered to nominate representatives from the PPP for such a committee.
Responding to a question he said, “PPP would not table any resolution in the National Assembly to demand de-seating PTI members from the House over their continuous non-participation.
PTI lawmakers had submitted their resignations with the National Assembly speaker in August last year, however the speaker has yet to take a decision on these resignations.
Imran has now linked a return to assembly halls with establishment of the judicial commission.
The deadlock on certain points of the terms of reference had resulted in the breakdown of talks following the latest round of talks between PTI and the ruling PML-N in December.
On Tuesday, Imran had threatened that his party would be forced to return to the streets in a repeat of its street campaign between August and December 2014, if the government fails to form the judicial commission by January 18.
On December 17, 2014, the PTI chief had called off his four month long sit-in in front of the Parliament and a nation-wide strike call in the wake of the terrorist attack in Peshawar which left over a hundred students and teachers dead.
To a question about reported marriage of PTI chief Imran Khan, Shah said he would not comment on it since it is the PTI’s head personal matter.