Seeks IMF MD’s ‘help’ for revival of loan programme
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ruled out the possibility of holding dialogue with the ‘anarchists’ and ‘arsonists’ who wear the garb of politicians and attack the symbols of the state.
In a Twitter message on Tuesday, the prime minister responded to the dialogue offer dropped by PTI Chief Imran Khan a few days ago. He said though many political and constitutional breakthroughs occurred when political leaders sat across the table to craft a consensus, but holding talks with ‘anarchists’ is not possible. Rather they should be held accountable for their ‘militant actions’, he added.
PM Shehbaz tweeted; “Dialogue is deeply embedded in the political process, which helps democracy mature and evolve. Many political and constitutional breakthroughs occurred when political leaders sat across the table to craft a consensus.”
However, there is a major difference here, the anarchists and arsonists who wear the garb of politicians and attack the symbols of the State do not qualify for a dialogue. They should rather be held to account for their militant actions. This is the prevalent practice even in developed democracies.|
The prime minister’s statement came after the former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan has appealed for immediate talks with state officials.
The PTI chairman whose party is facing desertions in multitudes and braving a strict crackdown following the May 9 violent incidents by his supporters also made an impassioned appeal on Friday to the state institutions to immediately sit with his party and hold negotiations in order to find a solution to a plethora of problems being faced by the country.
But his talk offer got a cold shoulder by the authorities as both Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif snubbed the PTI chief’s move, saying that talks could only be held with political forces, not ‘saboteurs or errorists’.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has sought ‘help’ of International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva for completion of the 9th review with Pakistan to revive the stalled loan rogramme with the international lender, said sources familiar with the development.—NNI
