Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said on Saturday that the country needs peace to achieve the socio-economic stability and development objectives, adding that the government is ready to talk to Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaaf for a vote recount in the proposed ten constituencies. However, Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaaf chief Imran Khan rejected prime minister's offer with a firm reiteration of his resolve with regard to his August 14 'Azadi march'.
Speaking at the National Security Conference, Prime Minister invited PTI for talks on their proposed demands but firmly stated that those who want to foment anarchy in the country in the name of revolution would not be tolerated. According to him, those who want to bring about a revolution need to define what exactly constitutes a 'revolution'.
About PTI, the prime minister stated the party has conveyed to the government that it is ready to call off long march if a vote recount takes place in ten constituencies. "We are ready to hold talks with the PTI to find a way out to the problem as negotiation is the beauty of democracy," he added.
He said that problems are always resolved through democratic means. If PTI wants to find a way out to the issue through negotiation, the government is ready to devise a mechanism in this respect. The Prime Minister further stated that his government is ready to talk with the PTI without any hesitation and expressed the hope that mediators would play their role in this regard.
The Prime Minister paid rich tribute to the martyrs of operation 'Zerb-e-Azb'. He said that the entire nation, political parties as well as civil society is fully supportive of the on-going operation against militants. He added if someone has any kind of reservation, he may express it as the government is ready to hear it out. However, he further stated that by and large there is consensus about the operation. Nawaz said that Pakistan has been facing isolation and efforts are being made to steer it out of this situation. He regretted that Pakistan does not have good relationship with its neighbours except China, which needs to be improved.
The Prime Minister said the terrorists caused a colossal damage to the lives and economy of the nation and our people continue to suffer from the menace. Talking to newsmen after the conference, Amir Jamaat-i-Islami Sirajul Haq said that his party proposed to the conference that military operation should be concluded as early as possible. He called on the government and PTI to defuse the situation, saying that people are suffering from the prevailing crisis. He further said that JI maintains a relationship of trust and affection with PTI.
Talking about military operation, he said that conference was briefed on operation Zarb-e-Azb by military leadership. He said that winning hearts and minds of the tribal people is vital to find a permanent solution.
The JI chief further informed the media that he is scheduled to meet the government's senior leadership on Saturday (yesterday) to discuss the matter while he is also in contact with PTI leadership. Answering another question, he said whether or not his party will take part in Azadi March, the matter will be decided after August, 10. He said the invocation of Article 245 in Islamabad should not be used for political purposes.
MQM leaders Farooq Sattar and Babar Ghauri also talked with media. Farooq Sattar said that his party called for early culmination of the operation and rehabilitation of IDPs in their areas. Regarding invocation of Article 245, he said the government needed a constitutional cover to deploy military in Islamabad to avert any blowback of the ongoing military operation.
Responding to a question, Sattar appreciated the Prime Minister's invitation to PTI leadership for a dialogue but also criticised the Punjab government's action against the workers of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) and suggested for peaceful negotiations with PAT leadership. He further said that it will be highly encouraging if the PTI leadership opts for a dialogue but otherwise too, peace must be maintained. Answering a question regarding absence of Chief Minister KPK from the conference, he said the absence of a more relevant chief minister was a national loss.
Leader of Qaumi Watan Party Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao said the political leaders attending the conference expressed their views on the evolving political situation and gave proposals to defuse growing tensions.
Later, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan Saturday rejected the government offer to consider his party's demands for defusing the tension to end the current political turmoil in the country.
An embattled prime minister, while addressing the participants of National Security Conference, claimed that PTI chairman Imran Khan had sent him a message through Ameer Jamaat-i-Islami Sirajul Haq that PTI would halt its long march if the government agreed to a vote recount in ten constituencies. But PTI spokeswoman Dr Shireen Mazari out-rightly rejected that Imran Khan had ever made such a demand.
Imran Khan said the Sharifs' attempts to stifle democracy and disrupt the whole country by shutting down major arteries, petrol stations and means of public transport would not serve the purpose.
He said that after PM Sharif's attempt to exploit an issue of national security for mere political purposes and photo sessions has proven that PTI's boycott of this 'farcical conference' was absolutely correct.
After the PM's ridiculous and unsuccessful attempt to try and show that PTI is "isolated", Khan said under no circumstance PTI put forward its future line of action before arriving in Islamabad with the 'Azadi March' on 14 August.
He continued that people will come to Islamabad regardless of the barriers the government is trying to put up in a bid to sabotage the rally which is now beyond its control.
Khan also reminded the nation about the "anti-democratic antics" of the PML-N and Sharifs including attacking the Supreme Court and destroying all institutions, merit and indulging in allegedly siphoning off billions of public money in personal funds.
He called on all political parties to join the PTI fight for democracy against Baadshahat (monarchy). "No one can play both sides of the fence, the time has come to stand up and be counted for democracy or the monarchy," he contended.