The much-awaited talks between the government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) officially began in Islamabad on Monday.
The talks, aimed at addressing the country’s current political challenges, are taking place at Parliament House.
National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq chairs the discussions, which involve key political figures from across the spectrum.
Representing the government are Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Advisor to Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah, Senator Irfan Siddiqui, PPP leaders Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Naveed Qamar and MQM-P leader Farooq Sattar.
On the PTI side, the delegation includes former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser, Sunni Ittehad Council president Sahibzada Hamid Raza and Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas.
However, key PTI members Omar Ayub, Ali Amin and Salman Akram Raja will not attend today’s session due to prior commitments, including court appearances and international travel.
The first round of discussions is a closed-door session, during which the venue for further talks and the terms of reference (ToR) will be decided, Express News reported.
Both parties have expressed hope for a positive outcome as they seek to ease political tensions that have plagued Pakistan in recent months.
Speaking to the media upon his arrival at Parliament, Irfan Siddiqui expressed optimism and said: “We are participating with good intentions and focusing on the development and prosperity of Pakistan. “Past aside, we expect positive results from these conversations.”
Umar Ayub echoed a cautious sentiment, saying the initial round of talks would reveal the government’s intentions. “The committee has been formed and we will see where this process leads,” he added.
The Speaker of the National Assembly, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, highlighted the importance of the participation of high-level members as a testimony to the seriousness of the ongoing negotiations. Speaking in Parliament, he shared that Advocate Gohar had suggested his role as a facilitator of the talks, prompting him to seek the Prime Minister’s support.
“I thank all the members for forming the committee. The presence of senior figures underlines the seriousness of these discussions. I hope that the dialogue will focus on the betterment of Pakistan. Every issue finds its solution through negotiations,” Sadiq said.
It may be noted here that Imran had put forward his two demands – release of political prisoners under trial and a judicial inquiry into the May 9 incidents and November 26 crackdown on PTI protesters, failing which a movement would be launched. of civil disobedience.
However, the Government has delayed the issue of talks with the opposition, stating that the negotiations could not be carried out with prior conditions and under the shadow of any threat.
The latest development came on the advice of President Ayaz Sadiq, who had been approached by PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar.
The spokesperson said the Prime Minister’s initiative to resolve issues through talks was welcome and that he had invited the government and the opposition to talks in good faith. “The doors of the Presidency are always open to members,” he said.
“Progress can only be achieved through conversations and dialogue. To move the process forward, members of both committees have been invited to meet tomorrow. [today] at 11:30 am. “I will meet with members of both commissions in my chamber.”
Prime Minister Shehbaz appreciated the efforts of the spokesperson for national cohesion and expressed hope that solidarity and national interests would prevail during talks with the PTI. “Pakistan is the reason for our existence,” he said.
