ISLAMABAD: The federal government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) are set to hold talks on Friday as contacts between the two sides intensify amid political and security tensions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and PTI’s planned October 4 march towards Islamabad.
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan confirmed that he had received a message from the government inviting the opposition for talks. The meeting is scheduled for 12 noon at the office of National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq.
The talks follow consultations within both the government and opposition, with the PTI agreeing to engage the federal government following meetings of its political and core committees.
A joint government and Pakistan Peoples Party delegation was also formed to engage PTI. The government side includes Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Rana Sanaullah and Amir Muqam, while Sherry Rehman, Naveed Qamar and Ejaz Jakhrani are representing the PPP.
The dialogue comes just two days before PTI’s planned October 4 march on Islamabad. The protest had originally been scheduled for September 27 before being postponed.
Meanwhile, differences have emerged between PTI and the Tehreek Tahafuz-e-Aain Pakistan (TTAP) leadership over the handling and postponement of the September 27 march.
According to sources cited by ARY News, TTAP leaders said they were neither consulted about the postponement nor adequately informed about preparations for the march. They also claimed that PTI had not established coordination, administrative or finance committees for the protest.
The sources further claimed that TTAP had provided PTI with a comprehensive agenda for the march but was not consulted before the protest was shifted to October 4.
Friday’s talks take place against a broader debate over the security and political situation in KP. The ruling coalition has opted to pursue dialogue with the opposition rather than immediately resorting to measures such as governor’s rule in the province.
