Deadlock breaks as PTI, PAT begin talks with govt

• Opp Jirga plays positive role in bringing both sides on talks table
• PTI committee says no breakthrough yet but will continue talks with govt team
• Dr Alvi says next round of talks could prove to be fruitful
• Govt team makes contact with PAT, agree on continuing talks

The opposition negotiating team was able to break the political deadlock between the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Wednesday after the former agreed to meet a government team to negotiate its demands.

“PTI has agreed to move forward in a democratic manner. PTI will meet the government’s delegation later tonight,” PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi told reporters after a meeting with the opposition negotiating team at Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Rehman Malik’s residence in the federal capital.

The meeting between the PTI and government committees began around 9pm at Jehangir Tareen’s house. The government committee included Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Zahid Hamid and Chaudhry Shafi (a sugar industrialist who is a relative of the PM) while the PTI team comprised Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Asad Umar, Pervaiz Khattak, Jehangir Tareen and Shafqat Mahmood.

The meeting lasted nearly 45 minutes after which members of both committees left the venue without speaking to waiting reporters.

However, TV channels later quoted Dr Alvi as saying that the two sides had not reached a conclusion as yet but had agreed to continue the dialogue.

“We are hopeful that the next round of talks with the government committee will yield some results. For now we have decided to continue with talks,” he said.

Briefing journalists earlier in the evening after meeting the PTI committee, the opposition Jirga comprising Sirajul Haq, Liaquat Baloch, Rehman Malik, Kulsoom Parveen and Mian Aslam expressed optimism about the positive outcome of the talks.

“It has been a productive meeting. There is still a deadlock but 70 per cent of the work has been done. We believe there will a concrete solution soon,” Sirajul Haq told reporters.

“I would like to advise the government to refrain from issuing statements which spread negativity. If both sides show patience then we are not far in ending this crisis,” he added.

Rehman Malik said, “Love produces love…Today PTI showed maturity and didn’t say anything negative.”

“I request the PM’s team not to talk about any individual. We have also requested the PAT committee to resolve the issue through dialogue.”

“Everyone wants a peaceful solution. I believe that in the next 24-48 hours, things will normalise. The perception that politicians have completely failed, I don’t think so this is true. It is the politicians (who are) trying for a long time for solutions to end the ongoing crisis,” Malik said.

TALKS WITH PAT:

Meanwhile a government committee led by Ahsan Iqbal met the PAT talks committee led by Rahiq Abbasi in which Sirajul Haq and Rehman Malik were also present.

Briefing reporters on the talks, Ahsan Iqbal and Rahiq Abbasi said that both sides had decided to continue with the talks process as it was too soon to reach a decision acceptable to both sides.

The anti-government protests led by PTI Chairman Imran Khan and PAT chief Tahirul Qadri began August 15 in an attempt to topple Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who they accuse of rigging the 2013 general elections.

While Khan and Qadri continue to demand that Sharif must resign, a joint session of parliament Tuesday saw all parties put aside their differences and come out overwhelmingly in the support of the prime minister.

The protests turned violent late Saturday and Sunday and as a result, at least three people were killed with over 450 protestors injured.