Islamabad: The federal government and leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan held talks Friday to defuse political tensions ahead of the opposition party’s planned long march to Islamabad.
The developments come a week after the party announced that its long march to Islamabad would start October 4, postponing it by a week.
The negotiations were being held in the chamber of National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, who is facilitating the dialogue between the two sides.
A six-member government delegation, led by Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah, is participating in the talks.
The delegation also includes Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Kashmir Affairs Minister Amir Muqam. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is represented by Syed Naveed Qamar, Sherry Rehman and Aijaz Jakhrani.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) delegation includes party Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan; Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Allama Raja Nasir Abbas; General Secretary Salman Akram Raja; former National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser and lawmaker Aamir Dogar.
Zulfiqar Bukhari, the party’s international spokesman, confirmed that talks with the government are underway.
He said that the government has mandated a team to initiate talks with PTI, and it was holding talks with the party, primarily aimed at defusing the current political situation surrounding PTI’s planned marchprotest toward Islamabad October 4.
Bukhari said the party’s key demands include an immediate meeting with Khan and a decision to take him to a hospital where his personal doctors can examine him.
The party also demanded the release of Khan’s sisters and others arrested ahead of the protest, a proper medical check-up of his wife Bushra Bibi and that their cases be heard properly without interference.
Government sources said the PTI’s planned long march would be the main issue during the negotiations, while the party’s other demands would also be discussed.
Speaking to the media before the meeting, Sanaullah said that protests do not resolve issues and that the solution to all problems lies in negotiation. He emphasised that the courts, not the government, would make decisions regarding the cases against Khan.
Separately, Gohar expressed hope that the negotiations between the government and the opposition would succeed.
Bukhari said the long march would begin from Gandi Chowk in Lakki Marwat, with its first stop in Karak and the second in Kohat October 5, before entering Peshawar district.
The Long March will set off from Gandi Chowk in Lakki Marwat. The first stop will be in Karak, and the second stop 5 October will be in Kohat. After that, the Long March will enter District Peshawar, he said.
Bukhari said he would share any development emerging from the negotiations with the media but added that so far the call for long march is intact.
The government has stepped up security arrangements, with shipping containers placed on roads leading to Islamabad and mobilisation of additional police personnel.
Containers blocking routes into Islamabad have disrupted freight movement.