JI appoints team to engage political leadership

LAHORE: To continue its efforts to bring the PDM and PTI leadership to the negotiating table, the Jamaat-i-Islami has constituted a four-member committee headed by Liaquat Baloch to contact other political parties to create a conducive environment for negotiations.

According to sources, the committee comprises JI Naib Ameer Professor Ibrahim Khan, secretary-general Ameerul Azim, and information secretary Qaiser Sharif.

The committee will make contact with the leaders of other political parties on both sides to pave way for a national dialogue to end the deadlock that poses a serious threat to the future of democratic system and could open the way for a third force to capitalise on the situation and roll back the democratic setup like in the past, sources said.

The committee has been formed after JI Ameer Sirajul Haq called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and PTI Chairman Imran Khan a couple of days ago to persuade them to resolve their differences at the negotiating table. Sirajul Haq tried to convince both leaderships that holding general elections on a single day across the country on a consensus date would be a great stride towards resolving the deadlock.

The committee will also seek the nod of all the political parties for a larger national dialogue at an all-party conference, which JI Ameer Sirajul Haq has already offered to hold at Mansoora, Lahore.

The sources said the committee will also consult political leaders on the proposed date of the APC.