The Rehber Committee, a representative body of nine opposition political parties, on Monday warned the government against creating hurdles in holding of 'Azadi March' and decided that any contact from the government side for dialogue will only be entrained by the committee instead of individual party.
The meeting of the Rehber Committee held here at the residence of Akram Khan Durrani to deliberate upon the government's offer for dialogue. However, the committee decided that no individual party will hold talks with the government and only the Rehber Committee on behalf of the nine opposition political parties will be authorized if there was any negotiation to be held with the government.
Chaired by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader Akram Khan Durrani as its convener, the meeting was attended by Saradar Ayaz Sadiq and Ahsan Iqbal of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Syed Nayyar Hussain Bokhari and Farhatullah Babar of Pakistan People's Party (PPP), Mian Iftikhar Hussain of Awami National Party (ANP), Jamiat Ulema Pakistan (JUP) leader Shah Owais Noorani, Senator Tahir Bizenjo of National Party, Abdul Samad Achakzai of Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), Hafiz Abdul Karim of Jamiat Ahle Hadith and Hashim Babar of Qaumi Wattan Party (QWP).
Talking to reporters after the meeting along with members of the committee, Durrani said that the government has constituted a committee for holding talks with the opposition. However, he stated the government does not seem to be serious in holding the talks, adding that the statements of Prime Minister Imran Khan against the opposition leadership indicates the non-seriousness of the government.
On one hand, he said that the government constitutes the committee while on the other hand; the rulers are abusing the opposition leadership.
He made it clear that no compromise will be made on holding the 'Azadi March', adding that holding of a peaceful protest is their constitutional right.
"If the government's objective by setting up the committee is to stop the 'Azadi March', let it be very clear that we will not compromise on holding the 'Azadi March'. At the same time we would also like to make it sure that the protest will be peaceful. Therefore, I warn the administration to make no hurdle in holding of the 'Azadi March,'" he said.
Durrani, however, failed to clarify about the JUI-F's earlier stance that dialogue with the government will only be held on an early election after the resignation of Prime Minister Imran Khan despite repeated questions.
"The government should not create any hurdle in holding of the protest and [then] if it wants to contact with us, we have not refused to meet them [government team]", he added. He said that the demands of the opposition parties are very clear and that have been reiterated on many occasions after the meetings of the Reheber Committee as well as after the all-parties conference (APC).
The opposition parties APC in August had decided to hold a joint anti-government movement including the lockdown of the federal capital and tasked the Rehber committee to draft the charter of demands.
When asked to clarify if the Rehber committee is willing to hold dialogue with the government, Durrani said that the government first need to announce that it will allow the 'Azadi march' to hold without any obstacle and then if the government is willing to hold the dialogue the committee will consider it.
"If the government recognizes our right to peaceful protest, then we are ready to meet them [government team] if they want to make any contact with us," he added.
He further said that the committee also expressed concerns over the installation of secret cameras in a university in Balochistan and demanded an immediate probe through a Judicial Commission.
He said that the committee also expressed concerns over the situation on the Line of Control (LoC) and vowed that the entire nation is united against any Indian aggression against the country.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2019