News Desk
Dismissing reports of a breakthrough with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) aimed at easing political tensions following the party’s civil disobedience threat, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar has said that the federal government has not initiated any formal discussions with the former ruling party.
“No meeting took place between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq at the latter’s residence,” the minister said,
The minister’s clarification comes following the “icebreaker” meeting between the NA speaker and top PTI leaders including Asad Qaiser, Omar Ayub and Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) Chairman Sahibzada Hamid Raza at the Speaker House in Islamabad earlier today.
Following the key meeting, embattled PTI and the government expressed willingness to sit together on the negotiation table without any preconditions ahead of the former’s civil disobedience movement, the insiders said.
The meeting was held following a telephonic contact between Qaiser and Sadiq, the sources added.
In his television interview today, Tarar noted that Asad Qaiser was not present at the NA Speaker’s residence when PM Shehbaz visited to offer condolences on the passing of the Speaker’s sister.
He further explained that while informal exchanges occur occasionally, official discussions have not begun between the two sides, adding that neither have communication channels been restored with the Imran Khan-led party nor have committees commenced negotiations.
