Islamabad: Amid reports of “indirect talks” with the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz has strongly opposed any dialogue with its political rival. Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Saturday laid down a condition for any talks with the PTI that party founder and former prime minister Imran Khan apologise for allegedly inciting violence on May 9 last year. Public property, including military installations, were attacked during the protests following the arrest of 71-year-old Khan in a corruption case, Dawn News reported.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also opposed talks with the former ruling party, saying he was not in favour of any such talks. Earlier, the ruling parties had made peace proposals to the party founded by Khan several times but to no avail as Khan said he would only hold talks with those who have real power in the country. The statement by the ruling party leaders came amid reports that the PML-N has reportedly approached Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PKMAP) chairman Mahmood Khan Achakzai for talks with the PTI.
Achakzai was nominated by jailed Khan to hold talks with the ruling parties. He also heads the opposition alliance Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Ain-e-Pakistan. Reacting to the news, Asif told reporters that he was not part of the “team appointed to talk to the PKMAP chairman”. When asked if talks should be held with the PTI, the PML-N veteran leader said, “I am not in favour of talks.”
Iqbal also opposed talks with the PTI until Khan “apologises for the violence that took place on May 9.” However, responding to a question about talks with the government, PTI leader Asad Qaiser questioned the seriousness of the proposal and said the government was unsure about talks and was issuing contradictory statements. He said PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif’s statement was followed by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif’s statement that the government would not talk to the PTI. PTI opposition leader in the National Assembly Umar Ayub also said his party was ready for talks provided the Shahbaz administration released PTI leaders, including Khan.
