Enough of protests, let’s talk now!

• As dialogue process kicks off between govt and opposition, PTI, PAT vow not to budge from demanding premier’s resignation
• PAT besiege Parliament, PM’s Secretariat, surround ministers’ vehicles before being reigned in by police and Qadri
• Khan demands PM’s resignation, installation of neutral caretaker govt, electoral reforms, re-election, revamping of ECP and bringing to justice all those involved in rigging

Albeit a deadlock on the issue of prime minister’s resignation, ice has finally started to melt as the dialogue process between the Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) government, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) formally began Wednesday.

“Following a statement by ISPR, the opposition (PTI and PAT) thinks that the prime minister would step down. However, we think that the prime minister is elected by the people of Pakistan and he would never let down the people’s verdict come what may. The army in 1999 could not take make Sharif resign, what can minnows like Qadri and Imran do?” a leading PML-N leader, seeking anonymity, told Pakistan Today.

Though the dialogue process has started, there are remote chances of a breakthrough as both PTI and PAT want resignation of the prime minister while PML-N has decided not to budge. Sources, however, say that the prime minster is likely to address the National Assembly today (Thursday) and it remains to be seen how the elder Sharif will play his cards.

GOVT-PAT DIALOGUE SUFFERS SETBACK:

As of yesterday, the first formal dialogue between PAT and the government negotiating panels failed to make a breakthrough as the PAT team refused to review their demands of resignation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and their immediate arrest in Model Town killings case.

Following the meeting, PAT leader Rahiq Abbasi told the journalists that PAT had conveyed its demands to the government committee led by Planning & Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal and made it clear that they would not review them.

Abbasi said that PAT would never compromise over the blood of Model Town martyrs and would not go back home till all the accused were brought to justice.

RAFIQUE UNACCEPTABLE AS LEAD NEGOTIATOR:

Earlier, PAT negotiators refused to talk to government’s chief negotiator Khwaja Saad Rafique, with PAT’s top delegation leader Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain telling the government team to form a new team which does not comprise of any accused in Model Town massacre.

Later the government replaced Rafique with Ahsan Iqbal. Other members of committee included Ijazul Haq, Haider Abbas Rizvi and Abdul Qadir Baloch, Chaudhry Shujaat, Mustafa Khar, Khurram Nawaz Gandapur and others.

Same reservations were conveyed to the government by PTI leadership as Rafique has been accused of committing massive vote fraud in NA-125, Lahore. Later, it was decided that Punjab Governor Ch Sarwar and Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan would lead the government panel.

QADRI WELCOMES DIALOGUE:

Following a meeting with the government’s negotiating panel, PAT chief Dr Tahirul Qadri said he had never rejected dialogue offer by the PML-N government.

Flanked by the government’s negotiators Haider Abbas Rizvi, Saad Rafique and Ijazul Haq, Qadri said he had never said no to talks.

“No one came to me for talks. We regard the Parliament as a sacred institution. However, I do not agree with those who indulge in state terrorism in the name of democracy,” he maintained.

Referring to his 14 followers who had lost their lives in Model Town massacre, Qadri said he could never compromise the blood of those who were killed during the Model Town tragedy in Lahore however he did not plan to derail democracy.

Qadri said he and his supporters were peace-loving and law abiding citizens of the country and they would never jeopardise the peace of the country. He said that despite the court’s ruling calling for the registration of cases against the Sharif brothers and other senior PML-N leaders over the Model Town tragedy, no action yet had been taken in this regard.

SIEGE OF PARLIAMENT, PM’S SECRETARIAT BY PAT:

Despite talks, raged PAT protestors besieged Parliament and PM’s Secretariat following a fiery speech by Qadri. PAT activists also surrounded the vehicle of State Minister for Education Balighur Rehman.

The minister managed to escape the scene unharmed after police intervention. Activists also encircled the vehicle of Minister of State for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Pir Muhammad Aminul Hasnat Shah in a similar manner.

Following these incidents, a huge contingent of police moved in while Qadri directed his workers to end the siege. Following negotiations between the Islamabad police inspector general and the PAT leadership, workers started to disperse from outside the building.

PAT SOFTENED STANCE ON GHQ’S MESSAGE:

Interestingly, a source privy to the dialogue process told Pakistan Today that the PAT chief had softened his stance over dialogue after a message from the Establishment and now he was ready to cooperate with the government if his demands were met with an immediate resignation of Punjab chief minister and arrest of former law minister Rana Sanaullah and other top police officials allegedly involved in the killings in Model Town.

After PAT’s decision to join the dialogue process, PTI’s core committee also decided to give dialogue a chance and finalised its demands which it has been making since long.

PTI SETS DEMANDS, FORMS DIALOGUE COMMITTEE:

In rapid negotiating developments talking place, PTI’s Khan announced that the PTI dialogue committee was ready to hold talks with the PML-N government with the precondition of resignation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and a late night meeting was to take place between both the sides.

Addressing thousands of charged supporters, Khan spelled out his demands for dialogue with the government, seeking resignation of the PM’s resignation, installation of a neutral caretaker government, electoral reforms, re-election, revamping of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and bringing to justice all those involved in rigging of 2013 elections.

The PTI negotiating panel comprised of Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Javed Hashmi, Jahangir Tareen, Asad Umer, Arif Alvi and Abdul Aleem Khan while the government committee ought to be led by Punjab Governor Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar.

Youth were seen playing pipes and clapping whenever Khan waved to the crowd. Women and children, which have been the most significant part of the PTI march, again featured in the march carrying the three-coloured PTI flags.

“Once these steps are taken, true democratic change will take place and a Naya Pakistan would come into being,” added Khan amid loud slogans raised by his supporters gathered at D-Chowk. Khan also renamed D-Chowk as “Azadi Square”.

Khan expressed trust in the Supreme Court of Pakistan and said he will abide by its verdict on alleged rigging in the 2013 polls.

Khan said that all the PTI lawmakers of national and provincial assemblies had submitted resignations with him but he had asked the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa MPAs not to resign yet.

“I will ask them to resign when and if needed. For the time being, I have accepted resignations of National, Punjab and Sindh assemblies,” he added.

Khan once again warned Sharif that he would not leave from the Constitution Avenue unless he resigns.

“People tell me it’s very hot out here and the people would not be able to hang on here for long. But let me tell you Sharif, even if I’m left alone here, I would not leave and would stay inside this container,” he told a charged crowed raising the slogans “Go Nawaz Go” and “Azadi Azadi”.

Responding to the calls from US and UK for a negotiated settlement of the government-PTI tiff, Khan said that he only sought help from Allah Almighty and not from the USA.