ISLAMABAD: In an effort to find a lasting solution to the current political impasse, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq said on Tuesday that the committee would remain in tact, expressing hope about Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s return, following its decision to boycott the fourth round of talks with the government.
Talking to journalists, after an inconclusive meeting, Sadiq said that the meeting did not take place due to absence of PTI as “we waited for them for about 45 minutes, but they did not turn up as they boycotted the fourth round of talks.”
Despite the boycott by PTI, the NA Speaker insisted that his doors remained open and expressed hope that the opposition would hold talks to find a way forward.
“We had convened a meeting of the committee as we were supposed to discuss the fourth round of talks. We waited for about 45 minutes for our friends in the opposition to come, but got a message that they aren’t coming,” he added.
He maintained that the government still believes in talks as it is the only way forward to find a solution to issues confronting the country, pointing out that the prime minister formed a negotiating committee the same day PTI chairman Barrister Gohar made the request.
“We were optimistic that the PTI would attend the fourth round of talks […] if they had attended the meeting, there must have been some breakthrough, but they skipped the meeting and proceedings without PTI are of no use,” he added.
He reiterated that the Speaker’s Office will always remain open for both the government and the opposition, saying the need of the hour is that dialogue is the only way forward and resolve the issues.
“In talks, no one sets any precondition. The right approach is to engage in dialogue and reach to decision thorough deliberations, but what PTI did was entirely strange,” he remarked.
Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, who is a member of the government’s negotiation committee, said that the government had come to the meeting with an answer to the PTI’s demands.
“We were ready to respond to the charter of demands submitted to the government last week, but our friends from PTI skipped the meeting (…) I wish they could have attended the meeting; there could have been enough progress,” he added.
“The talks are within the ambit of the constitution. I’m optimistic that the PTI will contact the National Assembly Speaker and attend the next meeting of the committee as we do not want to make any unilateral statement.”
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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