Islamabad:
A rare gesture of political conciliation was observed in the National Assembly earlier this week when Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif extended an official invitation to the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-E-insaf (PTI) for direct talks, which raises the hope of relieving the country’s political climate.
According to sources, the exchange took place during a session of the National Assembly when Prime Minister Shehbaz personally approached the president of the PTI, the lawyer Gohar Ali Khan, initiating a brief but significant conversation, including a handshake.
The Prime Minister was cited saying: “Sitting and let’s talk – negotiations are the solution to everything. I have already said it and I say it again: we have to speak.”
Barrister Gohar responded succinctly with an optimistic “inshaallah” (God wants it).
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Sources have described the atmosphere as informal but positive. The dialogue would have taken place just before the historical decision of the Supreme Court on the reserved seats, which has major political repercussions.
The efforts to provide an official response from Barrister Gohar failed. However, PTI initiates confirmed that the Prime Minister’s offer would be relayed to the founder of PTI, Imran Khan, the ultimate party decision -maker.
This decision is aligned with the recent openings of the leader of the PML-N Rana Sanaullah, who also pleaded for dialogue with PTI to defuse political tensions.
Addressing the media after a meeting with the members of the opposition earlier this week, Sanaullah underlined the Prime Minister’s desire to hold talks even in the speaker’s chamber, if the opposition found an uncomfortable direct dialogue.
“Dialogue is essential for democratic progress,” said Sanaullah, adding: “It is regrettable that the talks are in a standstill, and the responsibility is the responsibility of the founder of the PTI, which hinders a significant commitment.”
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However, despite these encouraging signs, the prospects for reconciliation remain uncertain after a constitutional bench of the Supreme Court canceled on Friday its verdict on July 12, 2024 which had restored PTI as a parliamentary party and allowed it to claim seats reserved for national and provincial assemblies.
The short -term ordinance, issued on Friday, effectively prohibits the PTI from claiming nearly 80 seats reserved in national and provincial assemblies. The decision consolidates the position of the management coalition, potentially allowing it to guarantee a majority of two thirds in Parliament – a development which could considerably modify the country’s political landscape.
The PTI firmly condemned the verdict of the Supreme Court, which described it as a violation of constitutional and democratic standards.
In a declaration published by his Central Media Department, the party described judgment as “a continuation of the oppression of the State” and “a flight of the public mandate”. The press release also allegedly alleged that the party’s constitutional law had again been “usurped by a judicial bench”.
The PTI also alleged that the reserved seats were distributed “as a boot of war” among the parties which lacked public support, calling it a flagrant mockery of democracy.
