JI to convene all parties conference after Eidul Fitr

ISLAMABAD: Jamat-e-Islami (JI) has announced to convene an all-party conference (APC) after Eidul Fitr on one-point agenda ‘to hold simultaneous elections across the country’, ARY News reported on Sunday.

Sources told ARY News that JI chief Sirajul Haq held ‘fruitful’ meetings with Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan to bring the both sides closer to holding talks on the issue of elections.

Sources claimed that Jamat-e-Islami will hold separate meetings with political parties after Eidul Fitr over consultation on one-point agenda of holding simultaneous elections.

All major political parties including Pakistan People’s Party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will be invited to all parties conference.

In a statement issued today, JI chief said his party believes in holding simultaneous elections. He also urged Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and PPP to “sacrifice and dissolve national and provincial assemblies”.

Sirajul Haq also asked institutions to remain ‘neutral’ on election issue. “Political parties should sit together and hold dialogue”, he added.

A day earlier, JI chief Sirajul Haq held meetings with PTI Chairman Imran Khan and Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif at their residences in Lahore with an agenda to bring the government and opposition closer and end the ongoing political crisis.

Sirajul Haq along with a three-member delegation held separate meetings with PM Shehbaz Sharif and Imran Khan and urged both parties to sit on the negotiation table.

Later, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) constituted a three-member committee to hold a dialogue “on the ongoing political crisis in the country,”.

The three-member committee includes Pervaiz Khattak, Ejaz Chaudhary and Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed.

PPP starts grand dialogue

Recently, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had formed a committee to engage with allies in the coalition government to reach a consensus on dialogue with all political parties.

The three-member committee includes former premier Yousaf Raza Gillani, Federal Minister Syed Naveed Qamar and SAPM Qamar Zaman Kaira.

The development came after former president and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari urged Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif to hold talks with opposition party – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), saying that the nation cannot afford any odd situation.

“I will request PM Shehbaz Sharif to hold talks with the opposition and set no conditions before they begin talks,” Asif Zardari had said while addressing the Convention on the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the 1973 Constitution on Monday.