Govt accepts Bilawal's offer to mediate with PTI

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political and Public Affairs Rana Sanaullah on Tuesday said that that the federal government accepted Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s mediation offer and tasked him with holding negotiations with defiant Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). 

The development came a day after Bilawal, while addressing a ceremony at Governor House Lahore, offered to mediate between the government and opposition to facilitate a national dialogue and defuse the ongoing political tensions in the country.

He said: “I have informed the prime minister that the PPP is willing to act as a bridge between political forces to foster dialogue and cooperation.” The PPP leader said that his party remains open to dialogue with the government to facilitate constructive discussions.

Speaking on Geo News show 'Geo Pakistan' today, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political and Public Affairs Rana Sanaullah said: “The government has accepted Bilawal’s mediation offer and assigned him the responsibility of holding talks with the PTI.”

“If Bilawal gets assurance from the PTI to attend the meeting, there is no problem in re-convening the National Security Committee meeting,” he added.

During his yesterday’s speech, the PPP leader called upon the incumbent government to take on board all political parties, including those that skipped the high-level moot on national security, to counter rising incidents of terrorism.

"Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif should convene another meeting, even if after a month… We hope to build a national consensus to combat terrorism," Bilawal asserted.

Responding to a question, the PM’s aide said the PPP was part of the coalition government in the Centre, adding that it would be their joint success if Bilawal succeeds in bringing PTI to the negotiation table.

It is pertinent to mention here that the former ruling party skipped the all-important March 18 in-camera meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security after its requested meeting with jailed party founder Imran Khan failed to materialise.

The party had demanded the government arrange a meeting between its leaders and the PTI founder, who is imprisoned at Rawalpindi's Adiala jail.

However, KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur attended the huddle in his capacity as the province's representative.

The high-level national meeting was convened by NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq on the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif amid rising incidents of terrorism in the country in general and in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan in particular.

The military leadership briefed the lawmakers on the country's overall security situation.

NA security moot strongly condemned the recent incidents of terrorism in KP and Balochistan and expressed solidarity with the affected families. The huddle stressed the need for consensus and unified political commitment to combat terrorism with full force.

The committee had stressed strategic and concerted political resolve to counter the menace of terrorism with the full might of the state.

‘Chapter of talks with govt now closed’

In January this year, incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan called off negotiations with the government due to its failure to establish judicial commissions to probe May 9, 2023 riots as well the events from November 24 to November 27, 2024, in relation to the party’s protest in Islamabad.

Negotiations between the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)-led government and PTI began in late December last year in an effort to ease political tensions. The PTI however, called off the talks with the government after holding three sessions.

In February this year, PTI leader Omar Ayub Khan ruled out the possibility of resumption of the dialogue between the former ruling party and the incumbent government.

"The chapter of talks is now closed," Ayub said, adding that political negotiations were not based on mere wishes but required firm commitments, which the government failed to demonstrate.

The PTI leader said that his party’s committee had initiated discussions in good faith, but the other side neither displayed goodwill nor intent.

The PTI, which also presented its written charter of demands, refused to attend the fourth round of talks citing the government's failure to form a judicial commission to probe the May 9 riots and November 2024 protests.