——- Sanaullah asks Bilawal to get assurance from PTI on attending the meeting
——- Says there is no problem in re-convening security huddle
——- Gives task to Bilawal on brining PTI to dialogue
Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: With the opposition parties gearing up for another countrywide protest drive after Eid ul Fitr, the federal government on Tuesday accepted Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s mediation offer and tasked him with initiating negotiations with defiant Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
The development came a day after Bilawal, while addressing a ceremony at Governor House Lahore, offered to mediate between the government and opposition to facilitate a national dialogue and de-fuse the ongoing political tensions in the country.
He said: “I have informed the prime minister that the PPP is willing to act as a bridge between political forces to foster dialogue and cooperation.” The PPP leader said that his party remains open to dia-logue with the government to facilitate constructive discussions.
Speaking on a media program, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political and Public Affairs Rana Sa-naullah said: “The government has accepted Bilawal’s mediation offer and assigned him the responsi-bility of holding talks with the PTI.”
“If Bilawal gets assurance from the PTI to attend the meeting, there is no problem in re-convening the National Security Committee meeting,” he added.
During his yesterday’s speech, the PPP leader called upon the incumbent government to take on board all political parties, including those that skipped the high-level moot on national security, to counter rising incidents of terrorism.
“Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif should convene another meeting, even if after a month… We hope to build a national consensus to combat terrorism,” Bilawal asserted.
Responding to a question, the PM’s aide said the PPP was part of the coalition government in the Cen-tre, adding that it would be their joint success if Bilawal succeeds in bringing PTI to the negotiation ta-ble.
In January this year, incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan called off negotiations with the government due to its failure to constitute judicial commissions to probe May 9, 2023 riots as well the events from November 24 to November 27, 2024, in relation to the party’s protest in Islamabad.
Negotiations between the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)-led government and PTI began in late December last year in an effort to ease political tensions. The PTI however, called off the talks with the government after holding three sessions.
In February this year, PTI leader Omar Ayub Khan ruled out the possibility of resumption of the dia-logue between the former ruling party and the incumbent government.
“The chapter of talks is now closed,” Ayub said, adding that political negotiations were not based on mere wishes but required firm commitments, which the government failed to demonstrate.
The PTI leader said that his party’s committee had initiated discussions in good faith, but the other side neither displayed goodwill nor intent.
The PTI, which also presented its written charter of demands, refused to attend the fourth round of talks citing the government’s failure to form a judicial commission to probe the May 9 riots and No-vember 2024 protests.
