First Round of Govt-PTI Talks Ends Ahead of October 4 Protest

ISLAMABAD: The first round of talks between the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led opposition and the ruling coalition over the party’s proposed October 4 long march concluded on Friday, with both sides agreeing to resume negotiations on Saturday.

The meeting was chaired by National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq and focused on finding a way to ease the ongoing political tensions. The PTI has planned the October 4 protest march while demanding the release of party founder Imran Khan.

The PTI will formally present its demands to the government negotiating team on Saturday.

The National Assembly Secretariat said both sides shared their positions and held detailed discussions on various issues in a calm and restrained manner.

The second round of talks will be held at 2pm on Saturday in the speaker’s chamber. The government and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) stressed the need to resolve national issues through negotiations with the opposition.

Speaker Ayaz Sadiq welcomed both delegations and said, “I am only playing the role of a mediator.”

Sadiq said his office was “always open” to resolving issues through negotiations and that he had repeatedly invited the opposition to talks.

He said negotiations were the only way to resolve differences and issues, adding that positions and offices were temporary.

“Parliament is the only forum where solutions to issues can be found,” he said.

The government delegation included Minister Amir Muqam, Adviser to the PM on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry.

PPP Senator Sherry Rehman and National Assembly members Syed Naveed Qamar and Ejaz Hussain Jakhrani also attended the meeting.

The opposition delegation included PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan, Senate Opposition Leader Raja Nasir Abbas, Amir Dogar, former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser and PTI General Secretary Salman Akram Raja.

The PTI remains committed to holding the October 4 march. Federal ministers have warned that the federal government may consider imposing governor’s rule or an emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to the security situation and the planned protest.

The opposition has warned the government of serious consequences if such a decision is taken.

Govt should engage opp ‘with integrity’

Speaking to the media during a break in the talks, Senate Opposition Leader Senator Allama Raja Nasir Abbas said the government should engage with the opposition “with integrity” and take steps to resolve the political issues.

“If the government cares about the political crisis, then it should sit with the opposition with integrity and step forward to find a solution,” he said.

Regarding the PTI’s long march, Senator Nasir said the call would remain “intact” until a solution was reached.

“Negotiating is the way of political leaders; negotiations could resolve gigantic issues and war,” he said, adding that “it, however, depends on the government’s intention”.

He questioned whether the government genuinely wanted to resolve the issues through negotiations.

“They are in government and it is their responsibility to maintain peace, resolve crises, and ensure economic stability,” he said.

Senator Nasir said the outcome would depend on how “autonomous” the government was and whether it had the “intent” to continue the negotiations.

A day earlier, it emerged that a joint delegation of the PPP and government would meet PTI leaders to discuss the “current political situation” in the country.

The decision was taken during a meeting at the presidency attended by President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and other political leaders.

Rana Sanaullah had also said on Thursday that the federal government and PTI were engaged in “off-the-record talks” over the planned protest.

Sanaullah said the decision on the proposed march rested with PTI’s senior leadership, “with whom off-the-record consultation is ongoing”.

“So let us see, even if they do not postpone it, we have arrangements in place to stop them,” he warned.