observer Report
Islamabad
A government committee tasked with negotiating with the opposition has rejected JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s demand for Prime Minister Imran Khan to resign.
At a meeting, headed by Defence Minister Pervez Khattak at the parliament, the committee decided that it can hold talks with the opposition over any issue but that the prime minister’s resignation is off the table.
Khattak while speaking to reporters after the meeting said the opposition had “never” demanded the premier’s resignation during talks with the government body, reports a news channel. Meanhile, the government has decided to approach Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F leader Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman after the latter gave Prime Minister Imran Khan a two-day deadline to tender his resignation.
Government committee Incharge Pervez Khattak will remind Maulana Fazl regarding the earlier agreement reached before the onset of the rally in Islamabad.
Prime Minister Imran Khan and Pervez Khattak held telephonic conversation after the speeches by political opposition leaders at the Azadi March earlier Friday. In the conversation, the two spoke about the speech by Fazl in which he gave the deadline to the prime minister.
Khattak hoped that the JUI-F chief wouldn’t take any step which would harm country and the nation. “Legal action would be taken against those who violated the agreement,” he said and added the government has not blocked the roads by obeying the agreement.
“Whole country is witnessing who is obeying the agreement and who is violating,” Khattak added.
Meanwhile, former finance minister Asad Umar said that the opposition won’t get Prime Minister Imran’s resignation come what may. The statement from the former finance minister comes a few hours after the JUI-F chief gave Prime Minister Imran a two-day ultimatum to hand in his resignation. “Opposition knows they can’t get the prime minister’s resignation at any cost,” said Umar. “They all know that the plan has failed.”
The former finance minister said that the JUI-F chief had given the two-day ultimatum only to think his options through.
“He didn’t say the march will proceed to D-Chowk. He hinted towards it, which is also keeping one’s options open,” he added.