PM says dialogue is possible on legitimate issues as PTI founder’s sister rules out talks
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chairs a federal cabinet meeting at the Prime Minister’s House in Islamabad. PHOTO: PID
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Tuesday the government was open to dialogue with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf but would not accept what he called “illegal demands or blackmail”.
He made the remarks while speaking at a federal cabinet meeting in Islamabad.
“These days, the PTI and its allies are talking about dialogue. I have repeatedly stated in the National Assembly that if the PTI is serious in negotiations, the government is also prepared,” the Prime Minister said.
However, Shehbaz said talks could only move forward if they focused on “legitimate issues”.
He stressed that political harmony among all parties was essential for the development and prosperity of Pakistan.
Meanwhile, Aleema Khan, sister of PTI founder Imran Khan, rejected the idea of a dialogue from the party’s side.
Speaking to reporters outside the Anti-Terrorism Court in Rawalpindi a day earlier, she said any party leader advocating talks was neither aligned with Imran Khan nor the PTI.
Read: Government and its allies oppose opposition alliance charter
She also said she was not aware of the communiqué issued after a two-day conference of the Movement to Protect the Constitution of Pakistan and had not been officially informed about it.
On Monday, the opposition alliance issued a joint statement after two days of meetings in Islamabad.
The statement included demands for an investigation into the February 24 general election and called for dialogue with the government.
Reacting to the opposition’s demands, Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz said the government was not averse to dialogue.
The Pakistan People’s Party, a key coalition partner in the federal government, also supported the talks, but under certain conditions.
PPP Secretary Nayyer Bukhari said The Express PK Press Club this dialogue would only be meaningful if confidence-building measures were taken.
“They want a dialogue with other circles,” he said.
