ISLAMABAD: Encouraged by ‘fruitful’ meetings with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and PTI Chairman Imran Khan, the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) has planned holding an all-party conference (APC) after Eidul Fitr on one-point agenda “to hold simultaneous elections across the country.”
On Saturday, JI Pakistan Ameer Sirajul Haq held ‘fruitful’ meetings with Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan with the objective to bring both sides closer for holding talks on the “issue of elections.”
Sirajul Haq along with a three-member delegation held separate meetings with PM Shehbaz Sharif and Imran Khan and urged both parties to sit on the negotiation table.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the JI Ameer said his party believes in holding simultaneous elections, urging the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and PPP to “sacrifice and dissolve national and provincial assemblies”.
Sirajul Haq also asked institutions to remain ‘neutral’ on election issue. “Political parties should sit together and hold dialogue to “end the political turmoil” damaging the country,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, sources claimed that Jamaat-e-Islami will hold separate meetings with political parties after Eidul Fitr over consultation on one-point agenda of holding simultaneous elections.
All major political parties including Pakistan People’s Party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will be invited to the proposed All Parties Conference.
Meanwhile talking to a private Tv channel, JI Chief Sirajul Haq said that the ultimate objective of the dialogue was to conduct a uniform election with results accepted by all parties.
He said that JI aimed to reduce bitterness and create a favourable environment for dialogue, as the JI chief believed that it’s crucial to establish the rules of the game.
Answering the question about the date of the election, he said, they have made just initial contacts for dialogue while neither the government nor PTI set any conditions in that regard, he added.
On the question of the way forward and agenda of the All Parties Conference (APC), he said that right now, they were trying to reduce polarization and after that, the rest of the issues would be discussed.
Later, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) constituted a three-member committee to hold dialogue “on the ongoing political crisis in the country.”
The three-member committee includes: Pervaiz Khattak, Ejaz Chaudhary and Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed.
PPP starts grand dialogue
Recently, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has formed a committee to engage with allies in the coalition government to reach a consensus on dialogue with all political parties.
The three-member committee includes former premier Yousaf Raza Gillani, Federal Minister Syed Naveed Qamar and SAPM Qamar Zaman Kaira.
The development came after former president and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari urged Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif to hold talks with opposition party – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), saying that the nation cannot afford any odd situation.
“I will request PM Shehbaz Sharif to hold talks with the opposition and set no conditions before they begin talks,” Asif Zardari had said while addressing the Convention on the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the 1973 Constitution on Monday.
