PPP calls for holding talks with PTI as PML-N, JUI-F oppose move

• PPP proposes dialogue to end political crisis.
• Asif Zardari, Bilawal Bhutto chair PPP meeting.
• PML-N senator urges govt to holds talks with opposition.

ISLAMABAD: The ruling coalition seems to be divided on holding talks with the opposition to end the ongoing political and economic crises in the country as the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is supportive of the idea while Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) have rejected any such move.

A meeting of the PPP’s core committee convened on Friday resolved to approach all parties in the coalition government to discuss the issue of dialogue among the political parties, including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

The committee was jointly chaired by former president Asif Ali Zardari and Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

The top decision-making body of the PPP met to address the ongoing political crisis and emphasised that the issue had arisen due to various reasons, including the minority court verdict being given precedence over the majority court verdict.

PPP Secretary-General Nayyer Bukhari, speaking after the meeting, said that this stance was legally, morally and politically untenable and must be reviewed.

The party also stressed the importance of resolving conflicting court verdicts promptly and without impinging on the judiciary’s honour and prestige.

Furthermore, in the interest of fair and free elections, the party called for general elections for all assemblies to be held on the same day as provided for in the Constitution and reiterated their opposition to any delay beyond the Constitutional mandate date.

It is important to note that the two major political parties in the ruling coalition — PML-N and JUI-F — have opposed holding talks with the PTI.

JUI-F leader Asad Mahmood, in a statement on Friday, said that no negotiations will take place with Imran Khan and called for imposing Article 6 on him.

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on multiple occasions has also rejected the idea of holding talks with the PTI.

Mushahid favours dialogue to end crisis

Meanwhile, PML-N Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed Friday urged the government and PTI to stop fighting with the Supreme Court and the establishment respectively and set the rules of the game for elections on time.

He was speaking on a calling attention notice, moved in the House by opposition and government legislators on India’s move for revision of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).

He strongly advocated a dialogue between the ruling coalition and the opposition, saying if talks could be offered to Modi and terrorists, then why not between them.

Mushahid insisted that Pakistan needed to set its house in order and express unity in order to face India as the US was also backing New Delhi to counter China in the region.

Referring to his recent visit to China, he said the message from the time-tested friend was that all political parties should talk for the interest of Pakistan and its people by going beyond their party lines and personal affiliations.

He regretted that the ruling alliance had picked confrontation with the Supreme Court while the PTI was fighting with the establishment.

“If they were offering a dialogue to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, then why don’t we have talks among ourselves,” he argued.

He emphasised even they were ready to talk to terrorists and then remarked, “Let us talk to the opposition also and other parties and set the rules of the game so that elections are held on schedule and the Constitution is followed.”