TTAP agrees to dialogue with the government and calls for a new charter

Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Ain Pakistan (TTAP) has accepted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s call for dialogue with the government, while urging the adoption of a new charter to steer the country out of the current political and economic crisis.

The development follows the Prime Minister’s statement a day earlier that the government was open to dialogue with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), adding that “if the PTI is serious in negotiations, the government is also prepared.”

He, however, clarified that “dialogue can only move forward on the basis of legitimate demands and constitutional principles”, stressing that political harmony is essential for Pakistan’s stability and progress.

Read: The Prime Minister extends an olive branch to the opposition

In a statement issued on Wednesday, TTAP said it held a meeting under the chairmanship of coalition leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai. The meeting included consultations on the success of the opposition’s two-day national conference, plans to observe a ‘Black Day’ on February 8 in Pakistan and the world, future strategies regarding strikes and the Prime Minister’s invitation for negotiations.

The statement said participants “agreed in principle that there is an urgent need for a new charter to lead the country out of the political and economic crisis, lack of peace and governance, and to eliminate public disillusionment.”

Under the proposed charter, the opposition is ready to engage in dialogue on holding transparent elections, appointment of a mutually agreed new election commissioner, parliamentary supremacy, rule of law, protection of human rights and strengthening constitutional and democratic values.

The statement also noted that Achakzai had responded to the National Assembly Speaker’s invitation for talks in the House, saying that “if all political parties in Pakistan agree on the restoration of the 1973 Constitution, parliamentary and civil supremacy and non-interference of institutions beyond their constitutional limits, he would take responsibility for obtaining Imran Khan’s signature on the new charter.”

TTAP leaders also decided to form subcommittees at the provincial and district levels to ensure the success of the February 8 Black Day and street mobilization, announcements regarding these subcommittees will be made soon.

The meeting was attended by the Vice President of the coalition, Senator Allama Raja Nasir Abbas; the leader of the BNP (Mengal), Sajid Tarin; TTAP general secretary Asad Qaiser; Vice President Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar; and coalition spokesperson Akhunzada Hussain Yousafzai.

NDC welcomes Prime Minister’s offer of dialogue

The National Dialogue Committee (NDC) has welcomed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s renewed offer of dialogue with the opposition, particularly the PTI, describing it as a “highly positive and golden opportunity” for political stability and democratic continuity.

In an official letter to the Prime Minister, the committee said it believes that “dialogue and reconciliation are the only viable path” in the context of Pakistan’s current political, economic and institutional crises. The letter praised the government’s clear and constructive policy statement, the result of the committee’s persistent efforts.

The NDC stressed that for negotiations to succeed, they must begin with “meaningful confidence-building measures.” He specifically demanded the conditional release of senior PTI leaders currently detained in Kot Lakhpat jail, including Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Omar Sarfraz Cheema, Mian Mehmood-ur-Rasheed and former senator Ejaz Chaudhry, to enable their effective participation in the dialogue process.

The committee said: “This gesture of goodwill would not only create an extremely positive, conducive and trust-filled environment for negotiations, but would also lay a solid foundation for restoring mutual trust among all stakeholders. »

He further called on all political parties to prioritize the national interest and actively engage in the process, working towards consensus on a Comprehensive Charter of Democracy and a Charter of the Economy. According to the NDC, these charters are essential to achieving lasting political stability and economic recovery.