ISLAMABAD: Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Barrister Gohar Ali Khan on Sunday categorically denied having any intentions of holding direct negotiations with the government, refuting claims of discussions with National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq.
Speaking at a presser, he clarified the nature of PTI’s interactions with the NA, and said “as an opposition party, we meet with the speaker to discuss parliamentary affairs and the functioning of the assembly.
These meetings are open and are focused solely on assembly matters or opposition parliamentary issues. These meetings have nothing to do with holding talks with the ruling regime,“ he added.
Dialogue with govt: PTI says will consider proposals made by Achakzai
He said that there has never been a conversation about negotiations with the government in any of their meetings with the speaker, adding “at no point has any PTI member or delegation suggested negotiations with the government during our interactions with the speaker.”
Gohar further clarified that the party has not offered to revisit any negotiation proposals as PTI remains steadfast in its stance of not engaging in direct talks with the government.
A day ago, after a key advisory meeting of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) held under the chairmanship of Nawaz Sharif in Lahore, the ruling party shut the door on any potential dialogue with its arch-rival PTI unless its chief Imran Khan extends a public apology for the May 9 riots.
Refusing to apologies for the violence on May 9 Imran claims it is he who deserves an apology and has sought CCTV footage of the carnage.
PML-N’s central secretary-general Ahsan Iqbal said negotiations were off the table until the PTI founder comes clean and apologized for his political games that led to the May 9 mayhem.
However, the rumors are rife that PML-N has been in contact with Mahmood Khan Achakzai to explore indirect negotiations with PTI, with the party leadership assigning Rana Sanaullah, the advisor to the prime minister on political affairs, to engage with Achakzai for this purpose.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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