PM Shehbaz Allows Government-PTI Dialogue

ISLAMABAD (Mudassar Iqbal/Web Desk): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has approved initiating dialogue between the government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). According to sources, the prime minister has tasked National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq with leading the negotiation process, while the government side has expressed readiness to participate whenever the Speaker calls for talks.

Government officials clarified that discussions will be held strictly with PTI’s elected representatives, ruling out engagement with any non-elected individuals.

PTI Founder Used Former DG ISI in Politics, DG ISPR

Sources from the Speaker’s office revealed that PTI has not yet formally approached them to begin negotiations. However, Speaker Ayaz Sadiq has kept the parliamentary committee intact and has assured that a meeting will be convened immediately if the opposition shows willingness.

Parliamentary insiders added that despite repeated invitations, the opposition has yet to respond. The Speaker has encouraged PTI leaders to visit his chamber for dialogue. Notably, PTI’s most recent meeting with the Speaker focused on nominating Mahmood Achakzai as the opposition leader.

Meanwhile, Adviser to Prime Minister on Political Affairs and Senator Rana Sanaullah Khan has said that the government is fully prepared for political dialogue with the opposition and for moving democracy forward.

Speaking on a private TV programme, Senator Rana Sanaullah said that the DG ISPR has on several occasions clarified that it is not the military’s mandate to hold talks with political parties.

Negotiations take place among political parties themselves, and that is their mandate.

He said the government is completely ready for political dialogue with the opposition and to advance democracy. It is now up to PTI whether it wants to engage in dialogue or not. The PTI founder, he added, has said that he does not want negotiations but instead wants to launch a street movement.

Rana Sanaullah said the PTI founder wants a repeat of May 9, along with chaos and anarchy, and that his agenda is clear. He claimed that the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sohail Afridi, is running around on the founder’s instructions. He further said PTI’s planned wheel-jam strike would fail badly and that the public would outright reject it.