Says “talks are still possible” as PTI demands oversight of Imran’s jail conditions
PML-N is led by Rana Sanaullah. SCREEN GRAB
ISLAMABAD:
As the opposition party continues to rage against “persecution” and is virtually locked out of its jailed leader, the government on Friday again reached out to the embattled Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and renewed its invitation for dialogue on the floor of Parliament, as Prime Minister’s Adviser Rana Sanaullah said the door was open to the ruling party, which remained open to the dialogue party.
Sanaullah urged the opposition to “come, sit and talk”, even as he noted that the people jailed PTI founder Imran Khan wanted to meet “are not willing to talk to him”.
The latest offer came during a Senate meeting where PTI Senator Mishal Yousafzai protested that the former prime minister was not allowed to meet. She went on to suggest that a parliamentary committee, headed by Rana Sanaullah, be constituted and accompanied by national and international media to verify Imran’s health condition and the facilities provided to him.
Sanaullah said democracy progresses through dialogue, “not through deadlock”, recalling that the prime minister had twice invited the opposition for talks from the floor and had even offered to meet them in the NA speaker’s hall “if it makes it easier”.
He further said that it was “on record” that the PTI was not willing to talk to the government, while those PTI wanted to engage “are not ready”.
However, he added that certain procedural issues need to be cleared before any meeting with a prisoner and that the conversation PTI representatives had after their earlier meeting with Imran “is also for everyone”.
Sanaullah further argued that the state could not allow any prisoner “to use meetings to drive a movement against the state”.
It may be noted here that the government, on its part, has extended an olive branch to the opposition on many occasions. However, the jailed former prime minister has repeatedly criticized the uneven playing field and “political persecution” and lamented that the climate for negotiations is still far too muddy to wade in among trials and prisons.
The government last initiated its engagement with the PTI in December last year after a prolonged period of political friction. Talk has stalled despite a flurry of early moves.
The two sides met three times, on 27 December 2024, 2 January and 16 January. However, the process faltered when the PTI abruptly stepped away.
