ISLAMABAD: The ruling coalition political parties Saturday criticized Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf for announcing it will to hold talks with the establishment alone, terming it double standard.
Talking to the media in Lahore, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) leader Khawaja Saad Rafiq said that the PTI may eagerly hold direct talks with the military leadership but it should stop the drama of civil supremacy.
He also criticised Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur’s statement about occupying Islamabad and demanded him to withdraw his statement.
Saad Rafiq said that at present there is no idea of governor rule in the KP, but it is not possible that someone invades Islamabad and remains in the government. The former federal minister said that threats and arsons do not work in democratic politics. In the past, the PTI talked so much about threats and attacks that it has reached up to May 9.
He said that with the statement of the PTI leader about talks, the cat has been let out of the bag. He said that one hand of the PTI is on their neck while the other is on their feet. This is the old pattern of Imran Khan. Behind the door he pleads for talks while shouts outside that he is the flag bearer of freedom, he added. Saad Rafiq said that politicians will have to talk to each other tomorrow if not today.
Meanwhile, speaking in Geo News programme ‘Naya Pakistan’, PMLN leader Rana Sanaullah said that PTI’s thinking was not political as it wanted to be grab power through the establishment. Sanaullah said that if the political parties get together and decide that every institution should be limited to its constitutional role, then the problems would be solved, adding that why would anyone object if political stability comes in the country. “They [PTI] are blaming everything on us [govt] but say that they will negotiate with them [establishment]. Rana Sanaullah further said that they want the establishment to become their weapon and they should be imposed.Addressing a press conference, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Secretary Information Faisal Karim Kundi accused the PTI of inviting the army’s interfere in politics, adding that the former ruling party was saying that it would not negotiate with political forces but would only talk to the Army Chief and the DG ISI.
“The Sunni Ittehad Council and the PTI are inviting the army to interfere in politics. The PPP has always been against the army’s interference in politics,” he said.
He said the PTI’s problem was that it fell at the feet of the serving and wanted to grab the retired.
“They are still looking for a shoulder and crutch but are not going to get this facility like in the past,” he said, adding that they would have to negotiate with political forces instead of waiting for a missed call from elsewhere.
There are five franchises of the PTI and they have to point out which is their official franchise. Shahryar Afridi and the PTI founder should first apologise for May 9 as there would be no negotiations with people involved in terrorism.
On the Gandapur’s remarks with regard to occupying Islamabad, Kundi said those who talked about occupying the federal capital would come of their own will and would go back with the will of the federation.
“On the one side, there is a flood in KP and on the other, the law and order situation is very bad, but the focus of the chief minister is on coming to Islamabad, and it seems the PTI may be planning another May 9. The KP chief minister’s announcement of attacking Islamabad is very irresponsible. He was badly defeated in the by-elections due to this attitude.
The PPP leader questioned where had Rs50-60 billion gone the KP government annually received for the war against terrorism. “For 10 years, the KP government should be investigated for the NFC Award money,” he said, adding that the focus of KP was on protesting and dancing on the roads.
He asked the KP government to remove the ban on student unions. He said the way the budget was passed by the provincial cabinet was unconstitutional as the KP government was still shying away from convening the assembly session.
In reply to a question, Kundi said he did not take the KP government spokesperson seriously.
Meanwhile, addressing the media, PTI leader Shibli Faraz highlighted the current political instability in the country and stressed the importance of defining negotiation parameters. The manner in which the negotiations would take place and in what environment should be decided first, only then the way for the negotiations would be paved with those who are the stakeholders, he added.
Faraz said PTI is a reality and so is the establishment.
He raised questions on the authenticity of the incumbent government formed post-February 8 elections, noting the reliance on Form 47.
Meanwhile, talking to the media at the Judicial Complex in Islamabad, KP chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur parried a question regarding statement of Shehryar Afridi in talks with the Army Chief and ISI DG.
Gandapur said that only Afridi can answer that question as he had given the statement, adding that he might have some contacts.
Later, talking to Geo News programme ‘Naya Pakistan’, PTI Information Secretary Raoof Hasan said they were ready for talks with the establishment yesterday, today and will be ready in the future but only to tell them about their constitutional role.
He explained that there was a role defined in the Constitution for all the institutions, including the establishment. “Roots of democracy cannot be strengthened if the establishment keeps interfering in political matters,” he contended.
He pointed out that a committee was formed one and a half years back to negotiate with the establishment. “We were ready for talks with the establishment yesterday, today and will be ready in the future, but there has been no contact from them so far,” he noted.
Raoof clarified that they wanted to engage with all political parties, barring the PMLN, PPP and MQM, which had stolen their mandate, or their mandate was given to them in a begging bowl.
Asked why the PTI was not ready to talk to the government, he emphasised that the rulers were just ‘puppets’, whose strings were being pulled from somewhere while they themselves enjoyed no power.
The PTI spokesman also said that they wished to engage with the establishment to explain to them their constitutional role, and not for a deal, as PTI founding chairman Imran Khan had said he was ready to remain in jail for nine years but would not strike any deal.
“We can talk to all other parties, our six-party alliance is a proof that we are ready to talk to political parties. And, if the ruling parties are serious in talks, then first return our mandate, we will not ask for anything for ourselves from the establishment,” he said.
It may be recalled that while talking to Geo News program ‘Naya Pakistan’ Friday, senior party leader Shehryar Afridi had said that they would only talk to the Army Chief and DG ISI.