As the opposition parties prepare for a new wave of protests throughout the country after Eidul Fitr, the Government accepted on Tuesday the president of the Popular Party of Pakistan (PPP), Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the offer to mediate with the Pakistan Tehreek-E-Insaf (PTI) and initiate dialogue for continuous political tensions.
The development occurred one day after Bilawal, during a speech at the governor’s house in Lahore, proposed the role of his party as a neutral facilitator between the rival political forces.
“I have informed the Prime Minister that the PPP is willing to act as a bridge between political forces to promote dialogue and cooperation,” Bilawal said. He also reiterated the opening of his party to dialogue with the Government to encourage constructive discussions.
Confirming the measure, the advisor of the Prime Minister of Political and Public Affairs, Rana Sanaullah, said during an appearance in the local media, “the government has accepted the Bilawal mediation offer and has assigned the responsibility of having conversations with the PTI.”
He added: “If Bilawal obtains the security of the PTI to attend the meeting, there is no problem in re -focusing the National Security Committee meeting.”
In his Lahore speech, Bilawal urged the Federal Government to involve all political interested parties, including those who boycotted the last high -level meeting on national security, in a renewed effort to counteract terrorism.
“Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif should call another meeting, although after a month … we hope to build a national consensus to combat terrorism,” he said.
Sanaullah recognized the role of PPP in the ruling coalition and said that taking PTI to the negotiating table would be a collective achievement. “It would be his joint success if Bilawal manages to take PTI to the negotiating table,” he said.
