- Speaker’s office and house open 24 hours if opposition, govt want to have a dialogue together to end bitterness: Ayaz Sadiq
- PTI’s Asad Qaiser welcomes Speaker’s offer, emphasizing he should tell govt to be serious
- PTI will not come under any pressure, our two demands included release of prisoners and constitution of a JC: Ex-speaker
ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Wednesday expressing willingness “to play a role” in facilitating talks between the government and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), saying his “office and residence open 24 hours”.
On the other hand, PTI leader Asad Qaiser welcomed the National Assembly Speaker’s offer, emphasizing that he (speaker) should tell the government to be serious.
The speaker’s comes a day after senior PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah invited the PTI to officially approach the government with a talk offer, terming the NA speaker’s office was a “neutral venue”.
In a video message shared by his office, NA Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said: “I want to say that the speaker’s office and the speaker’s house is open 24 hours if the opposition and government want to come and have a dialogue together to end the bitterness.”
“Whether we talk about improvements for the country, the law and order situation, climate issues or provincial autonomy, and numerous other matters on which we need to sit and have conversations.
“We have the speaker’s office for all these issues. Until I am speaker, I will not let there be any deficit,” he added, reiterating that his house belongs to members of both the treasury and opposition.
The NA speaker stressed his office was “for everyone” and its doors “were always open for the parliament members, regardless of whether there was a meeting or not”.
He also clarified his absence from the House yesterday owing to a Saudi delegation visiting Pakistan.
Last week, Imran constituted a five-member committee to hold negotiations with “anyone”. However, following his lawmakers’ softened stance in the parliament, he expressed his displeasure over the party leadership for adopting a “positive” posture.
The NA witnessed relative civility on Tuesday, as lawmakers from the PML-N and the PTI agreed on the need for dialogue to settle their issues, though neither side seemed willing to take the first step.
The tone was set by a comment from Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, who, responding to Marwat’s reconciliatory note, said, “For the first time, a breath of fresh air came from the opposition.” However, Asif maintained that talks could not proceed “at gunpoint”.
Marwat, in his speech just before Asif’s, abandoned his firebrand ways to propose the formation of a parliamentary committee to determine terms of reference (ToRs) for dialogue between the two sides.
He also emphasised that any dialogue must involve all political forces and, once ToRs were finalised, the establishment could also be brought on board.
While Sanaullah, the prime minister’s political advisor, seemed to welcome the offer, he was adamant that the party had not formally approached them for talks.
“I request [Sher Afzal] Marwat sahib that if you have made this committee for talks with us — which you have not said a word about till this day — then officially come and say you have formed this committee for dialogue with the government or PML-N or allied parties,” he said.
Asad Qaiser welcomes Speaker’s talks offer
Meanwhile, talking to the media, PTI leader Asad Qaiser said that the government still didn’t reply about yesterday’s offer, nor it contacted with us.
“The PTI will not come under any pressure, our two demands included release of prisoners and constitution of a judicial commission over May 09 and November 26 incidents,” Qaiser said.
“Is it the government or the PTI, which one is responsible, should face consequences,” he said. He said the country is passing through economic crises, “We don’t want more hardships.”
“The PTI’s founder has given positive response, wants to see the government’s action,” he said. He said the government has been still non-serious over talks. “If they think the PTI would come under pressure, it is their mistake,” Asad Qaiser said.
“Life has been made miserable for PTI people in Punjab, as they are citizens of some other country,” Qaiser said.
“Our 10 assembly members have been under pressure to resign in Punjab,” he said. “They want to get clear of their need for the People’s Party’s support,” he added.
