IT is satisfactory that the PTI was not showing haste in reaching Islamabad as its march is presently confined to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has once again made an offer of talks to the party, which is being viewed as extension of another olive branch to the party. Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Kashmir Chowk Underpass in Islamabad on Tuesday, he said the government was prepared to engage with the opposition if the party ended its long march and sit-ins.
Chairman PTI Barrister Gohar Ali Khan was quick to reject the offer describing it as ‘mere offer’ claiming that the government should contact leaders of the opposition in the National Assembly and the Senate if it was sincere about negotiations. The party leader was entitled to his views but the offer of the Prime Minister deserves serious consideration as the government apparently has climbed down from its hard stance on the issue. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi is on record having declared that there will be no talks with the PTI once it has initiated the long march. Again, the government has not yet moved towards other options including imposition of emergency or Governor’s rule. Therefore, the offer of the PM is an indication that the government has not shut the doors of talks and issues can be sorted out through give and take. This is also confirmed by the statement of Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry on Tuesday that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed federal ministers to “give as much political space as can be given” to the opposition, ensuring at the same time that the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) agreed to fully cooperate on anti-terrorism. There is also a semblance of flexibility in the strategy of the PTI as it is not rushing towards Islamabad in the name of phased mobilization for the ongoing march and the intervening period opens a window of opportunity for talks. The party is also talking in terms of access to the incarcerated founder Imran Khan rather than his release, which the government argues is for courts to decide. Prudence demands concrete steps should be taken for mutual engagement and all issues including counter-terrorism cooperation should be discussed thoroughly.
