PTI draws Sanaullah's flak for 'failing to formally communicate on dialogue'

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Rana Sanaullah has said that despite Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) announcement of forming a committee for negotiations, the government has not received any official communication from the opposition party on initiating the process for dialogue.

In a bid to create an "atmosphere of reconciliation" and defuse prevailing political tensions in the country amid PTI’s civil disobedience threat, the former ruling party and the government reportedly agreed to ease political tensions.

For the task, the Imran Khan-founded party has also formed a five-member negotiation committee comprising Omar Ayub Khan, Ali Amin Gandapur, Sahibzada Hamid Raza, Salman Akram Raja and Asad Qaiser.

However, the party has allegedly failed to formally communicate to the government in this regard.

Criticising the political rival for this reason, the adviser to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Political Affairs said that PTI's stance towards the government is still the same: "Why should we engage in talks with you?"

The former minister's remarks came during Geo News' programme "Geo Pakistan" during a discussion on the potential dialogue between the government and PTI.

Sanaullah reiterated that the PML-N has always favoured resolution of issues through talks, recalling that the party even proposed a "Charter of Economy" when it was in the opposition.

He assured that PML-N would not reject any message for dialogue from PTI.

"If PTI reaches out, we will not refuse to engage," he added, noting that efforts were made to contact PTI before their "final call."

He, however, clarified that discussions had not included the offer of the release of PTI founder.

Commenting on the events of May 9, a matter that remains a bone of contention between the two sides, Sanaullah questioned why PTI had not apologised or admitted their mistakes.

"Why don't they denounce May 9 incidents? Saying that it was them, not us, on May 9 will only deepen the bitterness," he said.

The government and PTI has been at loggerheads on the violent incidents on May 9, when the supporters of the former ruling party took to the streets against the arrest of their leader, Imran Khan, last year.

The ruling coalition holds PTI responsible for attacking public properties including military institutions in many parts of the country.

Following the recent reports of meetings between PTI leaders and National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, the government welcomed the PTI's renewed approach to holding talks with its political rivals despite the "questionable past".