Govt, opposition talks on 'Azadi March' inconclusive, negotiations to continue

ISLAMABAD: Two rounds of talks between the government’s negotiation committee and the opposition’s Rehbar Committee on the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Fazl’s (JUI-F) upcoming Azadi March remained inconclusive on Friday.

Speaking at a joint press conference after talks in the federal capital, Defence Minister Pervez Khattak, who heads the government committee, said the two sides couldn’t reach a decision due to which they agreed to hold more rounds of talks.

He said recommendations put forward by both sides were deliberated upon.

JUI-F leader Akram Durrani, who is the convenor of the opposition body, said two rounds of talks took place today but remained inconclusive.

He said they decided to continue the dialogue process but no timeframe in this regard was decided.

Earlier this evening, Khattak told the media that positive news is expected from the ongoing talks with the opposition.

Durrani, welcoming the negotiating team, said they believed in a peaceful and democratic solution of all issues.

The seven-member negotiation committee comprised Khattak, National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, MNA Asad Umar, Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood, Religious Affairs Minister Noorul Haq Qadri, and Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervez Elahi.

Whereas, the opposition committee included Durrani, JUP leader Awais Noorani, PPP’s Nayyar Bukhari and Farhatullah Babar, PML-N’s Ahsan Iqbal, former National Assembly speaker Ayaz Sadiq, Awami National Party’s Mian Iftikhar Hussain, and others.