Speaker calls meeting of govt-PTI committees today
In a significant political development, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday constituted a high-level committee comprising senior members of the coalition government to hold dialogue with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, which has warned the incumbent rulers of civil isobedience.
The committee includes Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Rana Sanaullah, Senator Irfan Siddiqui, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Naveed Qamar, Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Abdul Aleem Khan and Chaudhry Salik Hussain.
A committee to engage with the government, had already been formed by the PTI founder Imran Khan weeks ago, which reflects the party’s realisation that the policy of confrontation could not be continued indefinitely.
The prime minister, on the other hand, formed the negotiating body on recommendation of National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq.
Admiring Sadiq for his efforts in this regard, the prime minister expressed the hope that the national security and interest would be prioritised during the course of prospected negotiations.
The development comes less than a day after the NA speaker confirmed reaching out to the premier for the formation of the dialogue committee, after assuring PTI of playing a role in mediation, which accused the government of not being serious about negotiations.
“I accept Barrister Gohar Khan’s proposal to form a negotiation committee,” he said.
After the formation of the committees, the NA speaker formally invited both sides and summoned the first session at his chamber today (Monday) at 11am.
Sadiq said that he invited the government and the opposition in good faith as “dialogue is the only way” to move forward.
He added that the PTI chairman acknowledged his role as the custodian of the house.
Sadiq said that PTI chairman had acknowledged the speaker’s role as the custodian of the house.
According to the sources, parliamentary committee will be entrusted with full authority to deliberate on key negotiation points and make decisions regarding government-opposition discussions.
Gohar, while speaking to media outside a court in Islamabad on Saturday, said that “negotiations will take place as they are the only solution”.
He, however, said that the civil disobedience movement will also be implemented. It may be noted that the government maintains that talks cannot proceed under the threat of civil disobedience or deadlines.
Meanwhile, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, has called the first meeting of the government and PTI negotiation committees for today.
Speaker Ayaz Sadiq stated that he has invited the members of both committees to meet at 11:30 AM and he will meet them in his chamber at the Parliament House.
