News Desk
ISLAMABAD: The incumbent government has ruled out talks with the embattled Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) with the “sword of civil disobedience hanging on its neck” as the former ruling party refused to “beg for negotiations”.
“For the first time, a pleasant breeze came from the opposition […] but talks cannot be held at gunpoint,” Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said while speaking on the floor of the National Assembly on Tuesday.
Incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan — in a post on X — had warned the government of launching a “civil disobedience” movement if his demands — judicial inquiry of the May 9, 2023, riots and November 26 crackdown on PTI protesters and release of its “political prisoners” — are not met.
The ousted prime minister also constituted a five-member negotiation committee comprising Omar Ayub Khan, Ali Amin Gandapur, Sahibzada Hamid Raza, Salman Akram Raja and Asad Qaiser.
Earlier this week, the reports of the former ruling party and the government’s agreement to use the parliamentary forum for negotiation emerged following a meeting between PTI stalwart Asad Qaiser with NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq.
However, Qaiser dismissed these reports saying that he visited Sadiq’s residence for condolences. “No discussion regarding negotiations took place with the [NA] speaker,” he added. Similarly, the government has also said that no talks with the PTI have been initiated.
Speaking on the NA floor today, the defence minister lambasted the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government for prioritising marches on Islamabad instead of the Kurram clashes. “It is the provincial government’s duty to establish law and peace in their respective provinces.”
