Govt negotiating team urges PTI not to quit talks

ISLAMABAD: Senator Irfan Siddiqui, a member of the government’s negotiating team, urged Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) not to quit talks with the federal government, ARY News reported on Thursday.

Speaking to the media in Islamabad, the spokesperson for the government committee, Irfan Siddiqui, expressed regret over the PTI’s decision to pull out of the talks.

He appealed to PTI not to abandon the dialogue process and should be continued with patience, emphasising that talks are an integral part of a democratic process in politics.

“We are still calling them not to leave talks, wait for some days”, he said.

Irfan Siddiqui stressed that the government took PTI’s demands seriously, However, he clarified that no decision has been made regarding the forming of a judicial commission.

The Spokesperson expressed wonder over the hastiness PTI showed in quitting the talks, saying according to the PTI’s own timeline, January 28 will mark the completion of their deadline.

He said “We have already asked the Speaker Ayaz Sadiq to summon the National Assembly session on January 28”.

He urged PTI to show some patience as the government also advanced the negotiation process with great perseverance.

Senator Irfan Siddiqui called the PTI’s decision incomprehensible, saying that they have still room to think if they can make a decision free from the influence of PTI founder Imran Khan.

Earlier today, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) announced that it will quit talks with the federal government if the judicial commission is not announced today.

Speaking to reporters outside Adiala Jail after meeting Imran Khan, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said that Imran Khan directed that negotiations can continue if a three-member judges commission is formed to probe the May 9 riots and November 26 protests.

Barrister Gohar Ali Khan stated that the government had been given seven days to announce the judicial commission. However, with no announcement made yet, the PTI has decided to pull out of the talks. Khan expressed disappointment over the government’s lack of response, citing the deep-seated political differences between the two sides.