Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb on Saturday said the government will not negotiate with PTI Chairman Imran Khan until he “accepts defeat” and corrects his language and behaviour.
Marriyum’s remarks came after Imran Khan, in a press conference earlier in the day, said he was open to “every kind of negotiation” if it led to fair and transparent elections.
The information minister, in her own press conference in Islamabad, was asked why the government had a problem accepting Imran’s offer. To this, she replied: “Let him (Imran) admit defeat first at least. He accepts defeat and changes his behaviour and his language then he will see we won’t disappoint him.” She said the PTI chairman would have to seek forgiveness and answer for his “language, behaviour and the injustice done with the people of Pakistan for four years”. “We can’t forget it, and every injustice, whether with the media or the people or parliamentarians or political opponents, was a loss to Pakistan,” she added. The information minister criticised the PTI chairman for blowing off the then opposition’s calls for negotiations on the economy, Covid-19, Financial Action Task Force and national security issues when he was in power himself. “You won’t be given an NRO (National Reconciliation Ordinance). We can’t do negotiations with you if they’re based on threats and dictation.” Responding to the PTI chief’s claim that negotiations were not possible until a date was given in June for elections, Marriyum said.
