The coalition sets conditions for negotiations, says that dialogue is only possible without preconditions
ISLAMABAD:
The federal government and its coalition partners on Monday pushed back against the statement issued by Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ain Pakistan (TTAP), questioning both the feasibility of its demands and the political intent behind them, while reiterating that dialogue remains possible only if it is meaningful and constitutional.
After two days of deliberations in Islamabad, the opposition alliance on Sunday issued its joint statement, which contained a number of demands, including an investigation into the February 24 election and a call for dialogue.
Responding to the opposition’s demands, the Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry of PML-N that the government was not opposed to dialogue.
Speaking to a private news channel, he recalled that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had earlier engaged with lawyer Gohar Ali Khan in similar endeavours. “The problem with PTI is that they are divided. One faction wants dialogue but doesn’t know with whom, another insists on talking only to the establishment and the majority only seeks anarchy,” he said.
Similarly, the PPP, a key coalition partner of the federal government, supported the idea of dialogue, but with reservations.
PPP Secretary Nayyer Bukhari told The Express Pakinomist that the dialogue was meaningful only if confidence-building measures were in place. “They want dialogue with some other circles,” he said.
“Dialogue committees were formed earlier but were later disbanded by the party’s own former chairman, reflecting a trust deficit,” he said.
JUI-F leader Ziaur Rehman termed TTAP’s demand for a probe into the 2024 elections as “incomplete” and argued that any credible probe must also include the 2018 polls.
He told The Express Pakinomist that Achakzai had opposed the 2018 elections and was protesting along with opposition parties at that time. “Limiting the demand for an election inquiry to 2024 alone makes it half a demand,” he said.
He stressed that restoring public confidence requires truly free and fair elections and a truly independent Electoral Commission.
Ahmad Bilal Mehboob, chairman of PILDAT, said the problem now, legally and constitutionally, is that an election cannot be challenged through any method other than an election signature. Election applications are already pending before the courts, with decisions announced in about half of the cases,” he said.
