ISLAMABAD / LAHORE: Almost a week after President Arif Alvi urged stakeholders to end bitterness to pave the way for democracy, the PTI on Tuesday proposed a ‘Grand National Reconciliation Dialogue’ among all stakeholders, while its leaders separately called on the president and the caretaker information minister.

According to a statement by the President House, PTI leaders Raoof Hassan and Barrister Umair called on Mr Alvi at the Presidency.

The meeting between the president and PTI leaders prompted speculations in the media, and reports claimed that the two leaders delivered a message of the PTI chairman to the president.

Mr Hassan, however, denied that he shared a message from Mr Khan in the meeting.

Party leaders call on Alvi; caretaker info minister meets Shafqat Mahmood amid renewed push to create political space

In the past, President Alvi had made several attempts to restore ties between the establishment and his party chairman. Recently, PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah claimed in a TV programme that PTI Chairman Imran Khan was trying to mend his ties with the establishment.

Though only a two-line statement was released from the President’s House, Mr Hassan, who is the PTI information secretary, told Dawn the meeting was a “normal” and “routine” one.

“I used to meet the president quite frequently and today’s meeting was also a routine one,” he said, adding: “It is totally wrong that I passed any message of the chairman to the president.”

The current political situation and issues of national importance were discussed in the meeting, he added.

Reconciliation dialogue

In a separate development, PTI leader Shafqat Mahmood and caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi met in Lahore, wherein the former proposed a ‘Grand National Reconciliation Dialogue’ among all stakeholders ahead of the next general elections.

Details of the meeting between Mr Solangi and the former education minister were also kept under wraps, as the former termed it a “private meeting”.

However, Mr Mahmood told Dawn that the caretaker minister agreed to his party’s proposal to hold the ‘Grand National Reconciliation Dialogue’ among all stakeholders, including the military, judiciary and the media.

“This dialogue is a must ahead of the upcoming polls to move forward in the right direction. Let’s sit together and set a target for the next 10 years. Mr Solangi has agreed to the proposal,” Mr Mahmood said.

The PTI leader said he told the caretaker minister that the incumbent government had to ensure free and fair elections. “Currently, there has been a clear perception that the PTI is not being given a level playing field…whereas no other party is facing such restrictions,” he said.

He added that Mr Solangi maintained that it was the responsibility of the caretaker government to ensure fair polls. The PTI leader said he also asked the caretaker minister to take immediate steps to allow the former ruling party to resume political activities.

To a question about the polls taking place without PTI Chairman Imran Khan, Mr Mahmood said, “Free and fair elections cannot be held without Imran Khan’s participation.”

When asked about his meeting with Mr Mahmood, Mr Solangi said: “I met Shafqat Mahmood as an old friend and clearly conveyed [to him] that it is just a meeting of old friends.”

“I happened to be in Lahore and he was kind enough to host me at his house. I was not on any mission,” the caretaker minister said.

Asked about any discussion on any reconciliation move by the PTI, the minister said: “I didn’t go there on any mission. I can’t comment on what he said in the meeting or what I told him since it was a private meeting.”

Published in Dawn, October 18th, 2023