No talks with PMLN, PPP, MQM: PTI

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Friday said in categorical terms that there would be no dialogue with three political parties, as was decided by the party’s founder Imran Khan.

Speaking at a news conference here, with Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub, PTI Information Secretary Raoof Hasan said that regarding a controversy on the media that the PTI is to move for holding negotiations with three political parties that are “mandate usurpers”, saying Imran has clearly ruled out that.

He said Imran had asked for the three parties to first bring and show their ‘letter of authorisation from their sponsors and patrons’ about whether they actually had any authority to negotiate with the PTI and if they would be able to deliver on any promises to the party.

However, contrary to this, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan had told media the other day that Imran had given green signal for talks with the government. He had quoted Imran Khan as saying, “I forgive whatever happened”.

He had also clarified that the PTI founder’s approval for dialogue should not be seen as part of any deal, “saying the snow is melting; we want the situation to improve. We told the PTI founder that distances are increasing, and dialogue is necessary. The PTI founder has agreed with us”.

But Raoof made it clear, “Our contention since the first day is that they have nothing and they are only mummies and dummies whose strings are controlled from elsewhere and they dance according to them”.

He said Imran had clearly directed in blunt words that they have no intention to negotiate with these three political parties at any stage. He emphasised that if there was any ambiguity left about the matter then it should be removed now.

Omar Ayub also clarified that Imran said if Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Aain-e-Pakistan President Mahmood Khan Achakzai wanted to hold talks with anyone from the coalition alliance’s platform then he was welcome to do so but such negotiations would only be from the Tehreek’s side (not PTI).

He pointed out that the ‘PTI has a demand that they have to fulfill our conditions and eliminate all cases against Imran, Bushra Bibi and our workers and any talks will be held after that’. Omar Ayub alleged the three parties worked on the London plan.

It was part of the London plan, he charged, to loot and plunder and it was because of this, there was a big crisis due to wheat in Punjab. However, he regretted Federal Law Minister Senator Azam Nazir Tarar had said that there was no need to investigate the wheat scandal.

Omar Ayub, who is PTI’s secretary general said that scores of people used to meet Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari in jail, where they were lodged in accommodations like suites with all facilities, including ACs.

To the contrary, he claimed that pictures of founder PTI were shown and leaked from the Adiala jail, where he is living in a small room with a small fan.