Says PTI to receive a response if it skips the next meeting.
“Dialogue process should continue until reaching a logical conclusion.”
Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah expressed optimism that the coalition government’s response to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) charter of demands might convince the party to return to the negotiation table.
“The government’s response will be assertive and politically relevant,” said Sanaullah during an appearance on Geo News’ program “Jirga” on Saturday.
Despite PTI founder Imran Khan’s directive to halt talks with the government, Sanaullah expressed hope that a conclusive outcome could be achieved if PTI chose dialogue over finding excuses.
Sanaullah elaborated that the government’s negotiation committee would present its response to PTI, irrespective of whether the party attends the next round of talks scheduled for January 28.
Citing partial consensus, he noted that some PTI demands could be accepted while others might be rejected, which is a natural part of any negotiation.
He further stated that PTI might reconsider or agree to resume talks after reviewing the government’s response. However, he emphasized that the dialogue process should continue until a logical conclusion is reached.
Addressing PTI’s demands, he stressed the importance of continued dialogue to clarify key questions, such as the terms of reference for the judicial commission and whether the individuals suggested by PTI would agree to lead the inquiry.
Responding to a question about whether the talks were halted due to the Al-Qadir Trust case verdict, Sanaullah rejected the connection, stating that the judgment held no relevance to the negotiations.
He highlighted that the government had not barred the opposition from political activities and both sides had agreed that external developments would not disrupt the dialogue process.
PTI cited the government’s lack of cooperation and delays in forming a judicial commission as reasons for calling off the dialogue.
The two sides have been engaged in talks to reduce political tensions for nearly a month, with three rounds of dialogue already completed.
The talks reached a deadlock as PTI stated they would only attend the fourth round if the judicial commission was formed, while the government planned to present a written response during the next round.
PTI’s Barrister Gohar Ali Khan indicated that the party might reconsider its decision to call off talks if the government announced the commission’s formation. However, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja reiterated that the party would not participate in the January 28 session.
