PM Shehbaz forms high-level committee for talks with PTI amid civil disobedience threat

• PM forms committee on recommendation of Speaker Sadiq.
• Our existence hinges on Pakistan’s existence, says PM Shehbaz.
• Negotiating body includes Ishaq Dar, Rana Sana, Irfan Siddiqui.

ISLAMABAD: 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 main opposition party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which has warned the incumbent rulers of civil disobedience.

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 — comprising leaders from PTI — 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. 

"Our existence hinges on Pakistan’s existence,” PM Shehbaz said. 

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.

Sadiq said that PTI chairman had acknowledged the speaker’s role as the custodian of the house and requested that he actively participate in the negotiations.

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. 

The development took place amid looming civil disobedience movement by PTI, which says it will launch the first phase of the campaign today (Sunday) if their demands are not met.

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.