PM Imran ready to move forward with opposition, says Naeemul Haque

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan is ready to talk to the opposition for the welfare of the people, said PM Imran's special aide, Naeemul Haque on Sunday. 

Haque was speaking to Geo News anchor Shahzad Iqbal on his programme "Naya Pakistan" where he urged the opposition to support the government in solving the problems of the common man. 

"We have only three-and-a-half years left," he said, referring to the government's tenure. "I urge the opposition to render their full support. If the opposition even hints towards  it [cooperation] we will hold talks with them for the benefit of the people."

The statement is an important one considering the government and opposition have been at loggerheads over the past year. Opposition parties have accused the government of using anti-graft body NAB to settle scores. The government, on the other hand, has accused opposition politicians of looting the country’s wealth and stashing it abroad.

Speaking on the recent criticism of the government by its allies, Haque said their concerns were valid. “We have to tell them [allies] that the government doesn’t have funds,” he said. “Politics is about ‘give and take’.”

Rejecting speculation that a deal or understanding had been reached between the government and Nawaz Sharif, he said no “give or take” situation had taken place in the case of the former prime minister.

The government has bolstered its efforts to woo its coalition parties — the PML-Q, the MQM-P, the BNP-M and the GDA — with MQM-P's Convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui resigning last week. He cited the government's inability to fulfill its promises as the main reason for tendering his resignation.

PTI, PML-Q reconcile after successful talks

The ruling PTI and the PML-Q reconciled on Wednesday following successful talks, hours after the latter had warned the former of "explosive" consequences its demands were not fulfilled.

The PTI's bid to win over the PML-Q came after the government's negotiation team met a delegation of its ally's leaders, sources had informed Geo News.

The PML-Q had earlier asked the ruling party to let it run its ministries with absolute authority and without any hindrances, whereas its second demand pertained to the immediate release of development funds. It had also warned of "explosive consequences" if the demands were not met.