Govt in talks with PTI amid long march: sources

LAHORE: The federal government has reportedly started backdoor talks with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders in light of the party’s ongoing Haqeeqi Azadi Long March, ARY News reported on Saturday, citing sources.

According to sources, the backdoor talks between government representatives and PTI leaders were being carried out through ‘close friends’.

Sources told ARY News that President Dr Arif Alvi was playing an essential role in the negotiations between the Imran Khan-led party and the government. Imran Khan was in favor of completing the long march, sources added.

During the backdoor talks, sources claimed that the date for general elections was being discussed, adding the second round of negotiations will be held tomorrow.

A day earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif constituted Federal Cabinet Committee to tackle the PTI’s long march towards Islamabad led by former prime minister Imran Khan.

The cabinet body will be headed by Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and comprises of nine members. The committee for the long march has been constituted to maintain the law and order and hold political dialogue.

The cabinet committee would hold talks if someone was interested in dialogue over the long march. “Our doors are always open for negotiations,” PM Minister Sharif had stated.

“We are democrats, prepared for talks, but won’t let any person to take the law in his hands,” PM Shehbaz Sharif had said.

The cabinet committee, headed by Rana Sanaullah, comprises of PML-N’s Ayaz Sadiq, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Marriyum Aurangzaib, PPP’s Qamar Zaman Kaira, MQM’s Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, ANP’s Mian Iftikhar and JUI’s Maulana Asad as its members.