PML-Q leader accuses government of not being serious in dialogue with coalition partners

With the establishment of three committees by Prime Minister Imran Khan on 26 January, minus Jahangir Tareen, reservations of the already disgruntled coalition partners clamouring for the government to meet pledges it made in writing have exacerbated.

It is unclear why Tareen's role, a close confidante of the Prime Minister, was ended, a man who played a very critical role in cobbling a coalition together enabling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf to form a government in the centre and in three provinces and who continued to trouble shoot with the partners till the establishment of the new committees.

Talking to Business Recorder, Information Secretary PML-Q Kamil Ali Agha stated that the government is not showing any seriousness in engaging in dialogue with the coalition partners to address their reservations.

"The prime minister had previously formed a committee which included Jahangir Tareen. When things were smoothly heading towards an amicable settlement, the prime minister dissolved that committee and announced a new team. This shows the government is not serious to resolve the issues. The new committees have been formed but the result is zero. There is nil implementation on the signed agreement with us," he added.

Asked whether the PML-Q has contacted other allies in the backdrop of the intensifying rift in the ruling coalition, the PML-Q leader did not give a direct answer. "We have told them [PTI] that if our concerns are resolved, it would be more beneficial for them rather than us."

He also denied that PML-Q is pressurizing the prime minister to get one more ministry in the federal cabinet. "Our concerns are genuine. They are about government crisis, pending release of development funds and role of bureaucracy in Punjab. If such issues are addressed, we will have no reason to voice dissent," he said.

Another senior PML-Q leader Moonis Elahi took to the twitter on Saturday, expressing concerns over the change in the government negotiation team.

"After the changes in economic team and the transfers of government officers, now the repeated changes in the negotiation teams...? Change is good, but frequent changes are not a good habit. PTI needs to bring consistency in economy, governance and politics", Elahi tweeted.

A senior MQM-P lawmaker, requesting anonymity, told Business Recorder that the prime minister's decision to sideline Tareen from the dialogue process has not gone down well with the coalition partners.

"In the PTI, he (Tareen) is the leader who can get things to go his way to the benefit of Imran Khan. Excluding him from the negotiation process is a result of internal lobbying within PTI. Tareen is also not happy which is why he has gone to London," he said.

A senior PTI lawmaker, while seeking anonymity, admitted that the prime minister has not shown enough seriousness in resolving the issues with the allies. "On one hand, he [prime minister] is reluctant to meet the top leadership of PML-Q and MQM-Pakistan, and on the other hand he is not ready to expand his cabinet and induct one minister each from Q-League and MQM-P. Things are not going to work like this," the source said.

The prime minister, during his recent visit to Lahore and Karachi, did not meet the leadership of the coalition partners which, sources argued, indicates that the prime minister is not ready to engage personally in the process.

"It is not the right approach to keep relying on the powers that be to save the day for us. How long will the hidden hands come to our rescue?" the insider said.

Prime Minister's Office announced the formation of three committees to hold negotiations with PTI allies. The committee formed to hold dialogue with MQM and GDA is to be led by Planning Minister Asad Umar as its Convener and includes Governor Sindh Imran Ismail, leader of the Opposition in Sindh Assembly Firdous Shamim Naqvi and PTI MNA Haleem Adil Sheikh. The committee formed to dialogue with PML-Q is led by Governor Punjab Chaudhry Sarwar and comprises Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar and Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood.

The committee to dialogue with BAP, BNP and JWP is to be led by Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak as its Convener, Deputy Speaker National Assembly Qasim Suri and Mir Khan Muhammad Jamali.