Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq held a meeting to discuss the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) attitude towards negotiations despite “positive progress” from the government side.
The PTI abruptly quit the talks after holding three meetings with the ruling parties’ negotiation committee, maintaining that the government failed to constitute judicial commissions on May 9, 2023, and November 26, 2024, events within the seven-day deadline in line with its “charter of demands”.
The dialogue process between the PML-N-led government and PTI began in late December following months of heightened political tensions.
Although PTI presented a written charter of demands and participated in three negotiation sessions, little or no progress was made on key issues.
Following the development, PM Shehbaz had also offered to form a parliamentary committee to advance talks with PTI three days ago, however, the latter rejected it.
In their meeting today, the top government officials discussed matters of mutual interest, political affairs, and the country’s overall situation.
They also exchanged views on the steps to resolve public issues, the Ministry of Interior stated on its official X handle.
Naqvi praised Sadiq’s efforts to bring all government and opposition parties along on the negotiating table. Both leaders have also expressed satisfaction over the improvement in the economic situation of the country.
The interior minister’s meeting with the NA speaker was held a day after the former urged the Imran Khan-founded party to abandon its plan to observe a “Black Day” on February 8 against alleged election rigging.
He also warned that any public gathering would be dealt with in the same manner as on November 26, 2024, while referring to the PTI’s previous public gathering which saw an intense police crackdown, The News reported.
Referring to an international match scheduled in Lahore on February 8, the minister, who also serves as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, criticised PTI’s decision to hold protests on the same day, terming it a move to damage the country’s international image.
The opposition party announced launching a massive drive against the 2024 general elections and planned to stage protests in various parts of the country.
The PTI had also applied for permission to hold a public gathering at Minar-e-Pakistan, Lahore, on February 8 to observe a “Black Day” following the collapse of negotiations with the coalition government.
Additionally, PTI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa President Junaid Akbar announced three days ago that the party would hold a public rally in Swabi on February 8, following the directives of its incarcerated founder, Imran Khan.
The party has also sought permission to hold a public gathering in Peshawar on the same day to observe Black Day.
It also announced a protest campaign across Sindh from February 1 to February 8 against what it terms rigging in the elections.
