ISLAMABAD: Contrasting claims from political heavyweights with regard to talks between the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and the beleaguered Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf .
What made the situation more confusing was PTI Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Barrister Gohar Khan denial of offering talks to the ruling party and confirmation by the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) Chairman and PTI-led opposition alliance Tehreek Tahafuz Aiyeen-e-Pakistan chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai that the PTI had picked him for negotiations.
“All the political leadership, including Nawaz Sharif, is on the same page with regard to the Constitution. I have met Rana Sanaullah. There is no other way to take the country forward except negotiations,” Achakzai said during an informal conversation with journalists here.
Recalling that the PTI had picked him to lead the negotiations, Achakzai remarked that the former ruling party should have given a positive response to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s offer of talks and that apart from Khan, the party leadership’s opposition to dialogue did not matter.
Rejecting reports suggesting an indirect dialogue with the PMLN, Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Barrister Gohar Khan on Sunday denied offering talks to the ruling party. “The PTI neither offered to engage in talks [with the ruling party] nor sought any favours,” he said while speaking to Geo News. The only matters discussed during our meeting with the National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq pertained to the National Assembly, he said.
Elaborating on his meeting with the NA speaker, Barrister Gohar clarified that there was no discussion on dialogue. “No PTI member parliament is in contact with PMLN leadership over talks. Neither PTI parliamentary leadership has held any negotiations with PMLN, nor do we [have such] wish,” he said.
Despite Achakzai’s confirmation, there was no mention of PTI-PMLN negotiations during the PTI spokesman Raoof Hassan’s talk with an international news outlet. All he said was that Imran Khan had permitted Mehmood Khan Achakzai to talk to the political parties.
Raoof Hasan said they did not want to bring the establishment into politics but recognizing the ground facts, they believe the way forward was through dialogue with the establishment. The power is not with the government parties but with the establishment, so talking to them can be beneficial, he maintained.
He expressed the hope that the ongoing deadlock between the PTI and establishment will soon come to an end, stating that it was in the best interest of the state. He said the deadlock between the PTI and establishment should not continue any longer. In the present situation, if Pakistan is to be taken forward, it is necessary to have a dialogue between the largest party of the country and the most powerful institution of the state.
Asked what steps they had taken to build confidence in order to advance the talks, he replied the PTI did what it could, as the main thing was that instability will not end until all institutions work within their scope and that his party’s mandate was accepted. He was of the view that the path to political stability in Pakistan lay in recognizing the PTI’s mandate, either through judicial means or fresh elections.
When reminded that the army had asked the PTI to apologise for the May 9 incidents, Raoof said his party had repeatedly said that a judicial commission should be formed to investigate the matter or related evidence be brought forward. He said the government coalition wanted to bring the judiciary under control because it lacked two-thirds majority. The coalition can stay in power only if the judiciary stands with it, he added.
He said the judiciary was proving its independence and he did not think the government will be able to bring it under its influence. He contended that the chief justice of Pakistan should have called a judicial convention on the letter written by the six judges of Islamabad High Court, but he did not do so.
To a question, Raoof said he had no contact with anti-national elements and no such evidence had come out from his mobile phone. He asked Federal Minister for Information Atta Ullah Tarar to prove his claims of contact with anti-national elements in the court.
He noted that they were starting a nationwide movement to mobilize the people from September 8, under which rallies and meetings will be held in all the major cities of Pakistan. He emphasized that the meeting will be held in Islamabad on September 8 regardless of whether the administration gives permission or not.
“After playing an active role in parliament and judicial chambers, the PTI will now lead the movement on the streets. Imran Khan has also said that even if someone uses his name and says that the meeting of September 8 has been postponed, it should not be believed,” he said.
Raoof claimed that more parties were going to join the opposition alliance while a joint strategy within parliament with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam had been agreed upon. It will be adopted after the meeting of committees from the two sides.
According to him, friendly countries like Saudi Arabia, China and the United Arab Emirates were expressing concern that they could no longer provide loans or invest because of the economic situation and violent incidents.
Meanwhile, PMLN leader and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif Sunday said the country’s current political situation was not suitable for talks adding that using a senior seasoned politician like Mehmood Khan Achakzai for talks would be sheer injustice.
Asif said during a recent party meeting, the two major issues that came under discussion were the local bodies elections in Punjab and power bills and no such thing as talks with other political parties came under discussion. “I don’t think, anybody, during the meeting, discussed talks with other political parties. As long as the PTI does not regret the May 9 incident, things can’t move forward. If they show their regrets, we can find a way out but without it, there can be no headway,” said Asif.
“Thrice on the floor of the House, Shehbaz Sharif offered talks to the PTI founder Imran Khan but there was no response,” he added.
On the other hand, Senate Chairman Yusuf Raza Gilani said whatever decision Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif takes on national security and national issues, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) will support him. Talking to the media at a function here on Sunday, where he was the chief guest, he said, “The PPP has always negotiated; when we were in exile, we had talked to Mian Nawaz Sharif and signed the Charter of Democracy.”
He emphasized that at present the captain of the team was the prime minister; he should take decisions and move forward. Hopefully, the affairs of the country will be corrected, he said and emphasized that everyone should come together on the problems faced by the country. When asked about the role of Pakistan Peoples Party in the negotiations, the Senate chairman said if the prime minister takes any decision on national security and national issues, the Pakistan Peoples Party will support him. He said the reason for terrorism in the country was a lack of unity, urging all the parties to forget their differences and unite for the sake of the country.
“Fazlur Rehman is a smart politician; we have an old affinity with him and his father because he is also related to Multan and still is. We have a very good relationship with Fazlur Rehman and we want to serve the nation together,” he said.