Govt, PTI Signal Willingness for Talks Amid Growing Political Tensions
ISLAMABAD/PESHAWAR: Political statements regarding negotiations, tensions between the federal government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and the possibility of imposing governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have intensified.
Speaking to Geo News, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi said it was strange to demand negotiations with a party that, in his view, does not accept the Constitution and the law.
Kundi also claimed that the PTI’s long march would not be able to proceed beyond Attock, saying the party lacked the capacity to mobilise the numbers it had claimed. He said the PTI had previously claimed it would bring 2 million people onto the streets but had failed to mobilise even that number.
The governor further criticised the PTI, saying it had effectively become a political organisation comprising four “franchises”. He also alleged that the provincial government had lost control of the province and claimed that Chief Minister Sohail Afridi was acting on the directions of Murad Saeed.
Kundi said that if President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif decided to impose governor’s rule, the provincial administration would implement the decision.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister’s Adviser Senator Rana Sanaullah said talks with the PTI could resume, adding that contacts with the opposition had existed previously and were still continuing.
Rana Sanaullah said the military leadership, political leadership and federal government were united in their decision to take the fight against terrorism to its logical conclusion. He said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government would have to play its full role in implementing the national policy and operations against terrorism.
He added that if the opposition assured the government of positive progress in the fight against terrorism, the government was prepared to return to the negotiating table.
In response, senior PTI leader Asad Qaiser confirmed that his party was also ready for negotiations. He said the ball was now in the government’s court and that the PTI’s formal list of demands had already been submitted to the government.
Qaiser said that if the government demonstrated seriousness about negotiations, the PTI would also respond positively to the process.
