• Ahsan, Asif oppose dialogue with PTI; Rana Sana says meeting with Achakzai had nothing to do with PTI
• PML-N president favours all-embracing approach to tackle crises
• PTI’s Asad Qaiser says govt ‘uncertain’ about negotiations, asks it to make contact if serious

LAHORE: Amid efforts by the coalition government to woo a former key ally, PML-N President Nawaz Sharif has proposed an across-the-board dialogue involving all political parties, including the PTI, as well as the state institutions to steer Pakistan out of crises.

The proposal to take everyone on board was floated amid attempts by President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to court their former ally, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who had announced a solo flight against the government earlier this month.

During a meeting of the party’s top brass at the Model Town headquarters on Saturday, the PML-N bigwigs discussed a host of issues, including the recent relief to power consumers, local bodies reforms in Punjab, and reorganisation of the ruling party in Punjab. Another issue that the meeting pondered upon was the strategy to deal with the rival PTI, which is facing the ire of the powers that be following the May 9 riots.

A statement issued by the PML-N after the meeting quoted the elder Sharif as saying: “All political parties, governments, and institutions should join hands in decision-making. [They] …need to sit together to steer the country out of crises.”

This statement came amid reports that PML-N Punjab President Rana Sanaullah has been tasked to approach Pakht­u­nkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai — who heads the PTI-dominated opposition alliance for constitutional supremacy — for talks.

Clarifying speculations on his recent meeting with Mr Achakzai, PML-N leader Sanaullah told Dawn: “I met Achakzai sahib as he is a veteran politician who stood with the PML-N leadership during testing times. I relayed to him Nawaz Sharif’s regard for him and asked him to get along with the PML-N.”

He said neither Mr Achakzai nor the PML-N was under any impression that the former was mandated to speak on behalf of Imran Khan. According to Rana Sanaullah, no one from the PML-N approached the PTI for talks. “How come we seek dialogue with PTI when it categorically said it would not hold talks with us,” Mr Sanaullah questioned.

Speaking about the Saturday meeting, Mr Sanaullah said: “Today, Mian sahib asked all political parties, including the PTI, and institutions, including the army and judiciary, to work jointly to address people’s issues, especially those related to the economy.” He said Nawaz Sharif’s stance had not changed from the one he spoke about at the Minar-i-Pakistan rally upon his homecoming.

‘No to talks’

Even though the PML-N president favoured talks with all parties, some senior party leaders ruled out talks with the PTI. Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, the PML-N secretary general, told reporters after the Model Town meeting that there would be no talks with the PTI until it apologised for the May 9 mayhem that targeted military installations.

“How come talks can be held with the party (PTI) that brought a US Congress resolution through an Indian lobby against Pakistan, and was involved in the May 9 riots,” the minister wondered. Another party leader, Khawaja Asif, said: “I am against holding any talks with the PTI.”

A party insider said there were two groups in the PML-N: one favours engagement with the PTI to lower political temperature and restore political stability for the sake of the economy, while the other thinks a dialogue with the PTI will make the PML-N vulnerable as it will give political space to the PTI.

‘Uncertain mindset’

In response to a question about negotiations with the government, PTI leader Asad Qaiser questioned the sincerity of the offer, saying the government was uncertain about the dialogue and making contradictory statements. He said the statement of PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif was followed by a statement from Defence Minister Khawaja Asif that the government would not talk to the PTI.

Asked if Nawaz Sharif’s statement was more important, the former National Assembly speaker said that Imran Khan had already nominated Mr Achakzai to hold negotiations with the government and that if the government was serious about the offer, it should get in touch with the PkMAP chief rather than giving suggestions. “We will respond once we get the suggestions,” he said, adding that talks can be held on an agenda-to-agenda and point-to-point basis.

The PTI opposition leader in the National Assembly, Omar Ayub, had also said that his party was ready to hold talks provided that the Shehbaz administration freed PTI prisoners, including Imran Khan.

It may be noted that when PTI incarcerated founder leader Imran Khan recently spoke of conditional apology regarding the May 9 events, PMLN leaders — Maryam Nawaz, Attaullah Tarar, Azma Bokhari, Marriyum Aurangzeb, and Talal Chaudhry — rejected his offer in unison and declared that he would not be pardoned at any cost.

Huddle at Model Town

PML-N leaders Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif jointly chaired the party huddle in Lahore, with Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and other senior leaders in attendance.

The meeting was primarily a follow-up on the electricity relief measures announced by the Punjab government. Besides the power relief, it also considered suggestions to reorganise and strengthen the PML-N, especially in Punjab, which was once its stronghold. The meeting was also briefed on the performance of the party’s federal and Punjab governments of Shehbaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz.

Briefing journalists, Ahsan Iqbal said: “In the meeting, Nawaz Sharif asked the federal and provincial governments to reduce their expenditure and give maximum relief to the public.

“The meeting was also briefed about the new local body system, and the performance of the federal and Punjab governments.”

The minister said that during the meeting, it was decided that local government polls in Punjab would be held after reforms. Responding to a question regarding Nawaz Sharif’s plan to go to London for treatment in September, Mr Iqbal said it was not final yet.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told the meeting about his contacts with the political leadership of other parties. Recently, the PM called on JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, urging him not to participate in any agitation against the government.

Ikram Junaidi in Islamabad also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2024