PTI takes major U-turn after DG ISPR’s presser

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday took a major U-turn on holding dialogue with establishment following the press conference of Director-General (DG) Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), seeking apology from the party over May 9 events, ARY News reported.

Speaking at ARY News programme ‘Khabar’, PTI leader Asad Qaiser said that his party does not want to engage in talks with anyone, emphasising that it only seeks to uphold “constitutional and legal supremacy”.

The former National Assembly (NA) speaker said that PTI believes in the supremacy of the Constitution and the law, and wants all institutions to work within their constitutional limits.

Responding to a question, Qaiser expressed scepticism over constitution of a committee to hold talks with establishment, saying that no discussion about a negotiation committee was held during meeting with PTI founder Imran Khan.

He also mentioned that PTI wants to take along all those who have reservations about the recently-held elections, clarifying that they will not engage with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

In response to another question, the PTI leader stated that they also want a judicial commission to be formed to investigate the elections. “If our claims are incorrect, they will be proven false. The commission can start investigating from wherever it wants.”

Earlier in the day, DG ISPR Maj-Gen Ahmed Sharif on Tuesday said that any dialogue with the PTI could happen only if it “apologises sincerely publicly in front of the nation.

Commenting on the prospects of dialogue with any faction, Maj Gen Chaudhry said: “No talks will be held with any political leader, or group which attacks its own army and indulges in propaganda [against them]”.

“There can be no dialogue with an anarchist group,” he noted adding that the “only way forward for the anarchists [group] is to apologise sincerely, abandon the politics of hate and indulge in constructive politics [instead]”.

“Talks are for political parties, not institutions,” the army’s spokesperson

Responding to another question, DG ISPR said the party only gained 31 per cent of votes in the February 8 elections. He also rejected the impression those who voted for the party in general elections endorsed the May 9 attacks.