- Meeting to take place in speaker’s chamber at the Parliament House at 11:30am tomorrow
- PM Shehbaz forms committee comprising members of ruling coalition for talks with opposition
- Barrister Gohar hopes all issues will be resolved in shortest possible time
ISLAMABAD: Speaker National Assembly, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on convened the first meeting of the government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) negotiation committees on Monday (tomorrow).
Speaker Ayaz Sadiq has invited the members of both the committees to meet at 11:30am in his chamber at the Parliament House.
The NA speaker also welcomed and expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister for formation of a committee to initiate negotiations with the opposition. He said the Prime Minister’s move to resolve issues through negotiations was commendable.
The speaker emphasised that he has extended the invitation for dialogue in good faith to both the government and opposition, reassuring that the doors of his office would always be open for members. He further mentioned that progress can only be made through communication and dialogue.
Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, on the suggestion of Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, formed a committee comprising members of the ruling coalition.
The committee formed today included Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, the PM’s political aide Rana Sanaullah, Senator Irfan Siddiqui, according to the statement issued by the Prime Minister House.
It also includes PPP’s Raja Parvez Ashraf and Naveed Qamar, MQM-P leader Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Federal Minister for Privatisation Aleem Khan, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Chaudhry Salik Hussain and Sardar Khalid Magsi, it added.
It went on to state that PM Shehbaz formed a negotiation committee after accepting the recommendations of Sadiq, which he expressed appreciation for.
He expressed hope that the country’s security and national interests will be prioritised. “If Pakistan is there we are all there,” the statement noted.
The PTI committee comprises Omar Ayub, Asad Qaiser, Salman Akram Raja, Ali Amin Gandapur, and Sahibzada Hamid Raza.
This development comes after PTI Chairman, Barrister Gohar, requested Speaker Ayaz Sadiq to mediate for negotiations between the government and PTI.
The speaker’s efforts were acknowledged by the PM, who emphasised prioritising national security and public interest.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated, “Pakistan’s stability is vital for all of us. I appreciate the Speaker’s initiative and hope for constructive dialogue.”
Barrister Gohar welcomes formation of govt’s committee
Meanwhile, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar welcomed the formation of the government’s negotiation committee, expressing his hope that all issues will be resolved in the shortest possible time.
In a statement, he said, “We welcome the government’s announcement of the committee, and it is a positive step. The negotiations between the government and PTI should be comprehensive and result-oriented.”
He further added, “I am hopeful that within the shortest time, a productive solution to all issues will be found. Both committees consist of serious individuals, and the negotiations will definitely progress. We are optimistic that the negotiation process is about to begin.”
On Dec 5, PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan warned of a civil disobedience movement from December 14 if his demands about the release of political prisoners facing trial and the formation of a judicial commission to probe the events of May 9, 2023, and November 26 were unmet.
On Friday, government legal adviser Barrister Aqeel Malik told a private TV that the government was preparing a committee to negotiate with the PTI, with the members likely to be announced over the weekend.
Speaker Sadiq offered on Wednesday to facilitate the negotiations, saying that his “office and residence are open 24 hours”.
In a video statement posted to X on Sunday, PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqqas Akram acknowledged the government’s announcement of a negotiation committee, confirming that a meeting has been scheduled for Monday (tomorrow).
“People nominated by both sides will come to the table and lay down their points,” Akram said. “We will then gauge whether the government is truly serious about resolving our issues and meeting Imran Khan’s demands.”
Akram added that once the meeting is over, the PTI committee will then meet Imran in Adiala Jail and brief him on the proceedings. “He (Imran) will then make a decision about whether or not to go ahead with the civil disobedience campaign,” Akram said.
“Until he makes a decision, the call for civil disobedience is still in place, in accordance with party directives,” he continued. “This was Imran Khan’s call and [only] he can take it back. Once he is informed about the outcome of tomorrow’s meeting, he will make a decision then.”
