ISLAMABAD: The government and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) opened negotiations on Friday at the National Assembly speaker’s chamber, ahead of the party’s scheduled long march towards Islamabad on October 4.
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan had confirmed on Thursday that his party had accepted the government’s invitation for talks. According to him, the government’s message regarding the meeting had been received on Wednesday and was accepted in light of decisions taken during an opposition leaders’ meeting.
The six-member opposition delegation includes Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, Asad Qaiser, Salman Akram Raja, Amir Dogar and Haleem Adil Sheikh. The government delegation includes Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, PM’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry and PPP’s Sherry Rehman, among others.
During the meeting, the interior minister presented a briefing on the law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The PTI reconstituted its delegation after Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayin-e-Pakistan (TTAP) chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai refused to attend the meeting at the NA speaker’s chamber, saying he would attend the talks if they were held at a neutral location.
The PTI had postponed its planned long march towards Islamabad from September 27 to October 4. The party says the protest is aimed at seeking the release of its jailed founding chairman and the restoration of constitutional supremacy. Rana Sanaullah had earlier confirmed that “off-the-record” talks with PTI were underway.
The decision for talks followed a meeting between President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the President House on Thursday, where the country’s overall political and security situation was discussed.
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