At security moot, PM offers talks to Khan

• PM tells NSC meeting that JI has told him that PTI is willing to call off Azadi March if govt agrees to vote recounting in 10 NA constituencies
• Says he is ready to go to PTI chief’s residence to resolve matters
• In veiled reference to Qadri, PM says govt has zero tolerance for those raising slogans of revolution

While addressing the civilian and military leadership at the National Security Conference (NSC) Saturday, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif claimed that the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) had conveyed to the government that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was willing to call off its “Azadi March” if its demand for a recount of votes in 10 National Assembly constituencies was met.

The premier’s statement comes on the heels of several rounds of political meetings throughout the week between opposition groups and the government as the PTI and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Tahirul Qadri gear up for their anti-government long marches in the capital.

“Come and tell us about your suggestions. We are ready to talk about it but the solution has to be found through talks. This is a good development that PTI is ready to engage in talks and we are ready to work out a formula [for the demand],” the prime minister said, adding that he was ready to go to Khan’s house himself if it could end this escalation.

“Imran Khan had invited me and I had visited his home, and I am ready to go and meet him again.”

The government has made several offers to engage PTI in talks but Saturday’s offer has come from the premier himself in a meeting that was also attended by the armed forces leadership, which however confined itself to the extent of the military operation in North Waziristan, issues related to internally displaced persons (IDPs) and the law and order situation across the country.

PREMIER HOPES OPP WITH HIM:

During the meeting, the premier hoped that the opposition will also play a positive part since Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had accepted the mandate of all political parties.

Sharif said that during his meetings with leaders of political parties in the past few days, there was consensus amongst the political parties on rule of law and continuation of the democratic set up.

Sharif said that the country could not afford any political confrontation at a time when its military was engaged in a confrontation against terrorists and when efforts were being made to revive the country’s economy. He said that there was no justification of long marches against a sitting government since it had just completed one year in office. He called upon all political parties to play a responsible role in steering the country out of all the challenges it is facing.

In a veiled reference to Qadri, Sharif said that those raising slogans of revolution wanted to spread anarchy in the country, which was not acceptable.

ZARB-E-AZB OPERATION:

Director General Military Operations (DGMO) Major General Amir Riaz briefed the political leadership about the ongoing operation and the status of objectives achieved so far, according to a statement issued by the PM office.

He told the meeting participants that the operation was proceeding successfully and terrorists were fleeing the tribal areas.

The meeting also emphasised on the development work and resettlement and reconstruction of the entire Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA) region. In this regard, the meeting was told that adequate resources were being mobilised for management of IDPs.

OF THOSE PRESENT AND NOT INVITED:

From the military side, the meeting was attended by Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif, ISI Director General Lt Gen Zaheerul Islam, DGMO Maj Gen Amir Riaz, ISPR DG Maj General Asim Saleem Bajwa and other senior officers.

During the meeting which he termed an “All Parties Conference (APC)”, the prime minister said that all those parties who have representation in the National Assembly had been asked to participate, although some parties were reportedly not invited.

The PM’s press secretary confirmed that the PML-Q and AML were not invited to the meeting.

The PTI, which was invited, however, opted to stay out of the meeting as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Parvez Khattak and PTI chief Imran Khan both failed to show up.

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan could not make it to Islamabad on account of bad weather conditions in Lahore, however, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah and Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Malik Baloch were present.