Deadlock persists between govt, opposition after new round of talks

ISLAMABAD: The federal government and the opposition failed to end deadlock during its new round of talks held on Tuesday (today), ARY News reported.

The second round of talks between the government’s dialogue team and the Rehbar Committee comprising leaders of all opposition parties remained inconclusive once again.

However, the defence minister Pervez Khattak said in a press conference that the dialogues are continued between the government and opposition. The government’s team is finding a solution to end the deadlock.

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Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) leader Akram Durrani told media that the opposition is stand firmly on its previous stance and remained unchanged over its demands.

After the conclusion of the talks, the government’s dialogue team members, Asad Umar and Shafqat Mahmood, departed to the Prime Minister House. Umar told journalists that they have been summoned by PM Imran Khan.

Answering to a question for the next round of talks, Umar replied that it is not finalised for when to meet again but the process will be continued.

Sources told ARY News that the government’s side rejected for holding discussions over the resignation of the premier, whereas, the opposition remained persistent over the PM’s resign and dissolution of assemblies.

Few of the opposition leaders expressed flexibility in their stance to find another way to come out of the deadlock, sources said.

On the other hand, the government team clarified that the federation will accept every demand which came under the boundary of the constitution and law.

Read: Azadi March: Govt, opposition’s Rahbar Committee to resume talks today

Earlier in the day, PM Imran Khan directed his negotiating team to have ‘complete authority’ during talks with opposition’s Rahbar Committee.

The government’s team, formed to negotiate with the opposition with regards to Azadi March, called on Prime Minister Khan today.

The head of the negotiating team, Defense Minister Pervaiz Khattak, briefed PM Khan on the development related to talks with the opposition’s Rahbar Committee.

Read: Opposition’s demand of PM’s resignation not acceptable: govt committee

The premier told the government’s negotiating team to carry out talks with the opposition while having a complete authority, sources said.

The meeting decided that all demands of opposition’s committee except the one related to the resignation of PM Khan could be fulfilled by the government. “If the opposition wants to have serious negotiations, then a positive response is expected from them,” said the premier as quoted by sources.

A day earlier, the government committee led by Federal Minister for Defence Pervez Khattak met the opposition’s Rahbar Committee headed by Akram Khan Durrani of JUI-F in Islamabad and both sides agreed to restart the stalled talks.