Deadlock between govt, JI persists

RAWALPINDI: As the fourth round of talks with the government ended without any result on Wednesday, the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) has decided to go ahead with its protest march on Murree Road here on Thursday.

Liaquat Baloch at end of fourth round of talks on Wednesday night told newsmen that the government has responded to six out of seven demands of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and also apprised JI team of government’s problem.

The government team comprised Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi, Minister for Kashmir Affairs Amir Muqam, PM Coordinator Badar Shahbaz and Tariq Fazal Chaudhry MNA.

The JI team led by Naib Ameer Liaquat Baloch also included Secretary General Amirul Azeem and JI Islamabad Ameer Nasarullah Randhawa.

“We will go ahead with our march on Murree Road which will start at 6:00pm on Thursday and we will inform media if any progress is made in talks with the government”, Liaquat Baloch said.

He said that JI team again effectively placed its views and demands before the government team.

He maintained that not only that agreements with the IPPs should be revised but an investigation into agreements should also be carried out. “Agreements with IPPs are creating more disaster for the national economy,” he said adding the salaried class has also been burdened with more taxes.

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar after the meeting, however, told newsmen that progress had been made with regard to JI’s demand and some issues have been decided in written. “We have reached consensus on some issues and some matters are to be decided,” he said.

He said that talks with JI team were held in a positive manner and another round of talks would be held on Thursday. “There will be another round of talks with Jamaat tomorrow”, he said. He said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had already started taking steps for solution to problems which are mentioned in Jamaat’s demands.

He said that the government wanted to provide cheap electricity to consumers and revise agreements with IPPs saying that a task force had already been constituted in this connection. “Jamaat’s demands are agenda of our government,” he said.

The minister while observing that holding protest and march is right of everyone.

Jamaat told media that JI workers arrested in Sialkot have been released.

Earlier, JI top leader Hafiz Naeemur Rehman while talking to newsmen questioned as to why the government was not accepting JI demands if it feels that there is nothing wrong with Jamaat’s stance. “We have no issue if the government wants to take credit,” he said. He said that during third round of talks, the JI leadership asked the government to start giving relief on some matters and it could seek time for solution to other issues and sigh agreement with Jamaat.

He made it clear that they never wanted confrontation with the government and therefore expect positive approach from the other side.