Islamabad (News Desk): Irfan Siddiqui, the parliamentary leader of Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) and spokesperson for the government’s negotiation committee, has expressed optimism that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the government will resolve their issues before the January 31 deadline set by PTI. He hailed PTI’s decision to return to the negotiation table as a significant step forward, with the government welcoming their move with open arms. Siddiqui emphasized that the government is committed to moving forward with the discussions in good faith, as negotiations are the key to resolving any issues. He believes there is a strong possibility of success in the ongoing talks.
In an interview with a private TV channel, Siddiqui referred to the Charter of Democracy as a successful model for resolving political issues through dialogue, noting that leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) and Pakistan Peoples Party have historically engaged in negotiations. He acknowledged that the political style of PTI’s founder is different, which may have made prior talks difficult, but now both the government and PTI’s negotiating committees have come together.
If both committees reach an agreement, as indicated by Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, it will lead to the preparation of consensus recommendations. Siddiqui stated that the government is focused on the set date of January 2, when PTI will present its charter of demands, and the government committee will assess the feasibility of these demands.
He further noted that while PTI wants the negotiations to be swift and demands to be met on time, the government also shares the desire for matters to be settled before the deadline. Siddiqui reiterated that the government does not want to prolong the situation unnecessarily, as it is not in anyone’s best interest.
In response to a question, he mentioned that both sides had agreed in the first meeting of the negotiation committees that statements from leaders outside the committees should not interfere with the talks. Siddiqui expressed confidence that when leaders sit down together, solutions to the issues will be found, and if the committees reach a conclusion, they will present proposals to move forward.
