Islamabad (Web Desk): In a significant move aimed at easing mounting political tensions, representatives from the government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) are currently engaged in their inaugural round of talks at the Parliament House in Islamabad.
The meeting, with Speaker National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq in chair, marks a critical moment in efforts to bridge the gap between the ruling coalition and the opposition party.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had, earlier, appointed an 8-member delegation tasked with initiating dialogue with PTI.
The team, under the leadership of Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, includes key figures from the ruling alliance, such as members from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), and the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q).
Among the attendees representing the ruling coalition are Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Prime Minister’s Adviser Rana Sanaullah, Senator Irfan Siddiqui, alongside senior PPP leaders such as Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Naveed Qamar and MQM-P leader Farooq Sattar.
On the opposing front, PTI is represented by a delegation led by former National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, along with Aijaz Chaudhry, Hamid Raza, and Allama Nasir Abbas.
Imran Khan, PTI’s founder, has expressed two central demands in the discussions: the immediate release of political prisoners currently in detention and a judicial investigation into the May 9 incidents, alongside the crackdown on PTI protesters that unfolded on November 26.
These demands, according to the PTI leadership, must be met for the party to consider halting plans for a civil disobedience movement. However, the government has hesitated to engage under these terms, stressing the importance of talks free from preconditions or threats.
The dialogue session was convened following a series of consultations involving Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, who had been approached by PTI's Barrister Gohar.
Sadiq, in a bid to foster a conducive environment for constructive engagement, welcomed the initiative and confirmed that both parties had agreed to meet in good faith.
As the two sides gathered on Monday at the National Assembly, Ayaz Sadiq underscored the importance of dialogue, emphasizing that only through discussions could progress be achieved.
The diverse composition of this meeting suggests that critical discussions on political strategy, governance, and potential policy agreements are underway, with both government and opposition figures present to engage in dialogue.