High-level contact established between PTI, govt

ISLAMABAD: A high-level contact has been established between the PTI and an important member of the government to work on a possible breakthrough.

An informed source told The News on Monday that the initial contact was positive. This correspondent has the names of contact persons from both sides but the information was shared with The News on the condition that their names will not be disclosed. It is said that disclosure of these names at this point will spoil the effort being made to amicably settle the issues between the PTI and the government (particularly the establishment).

According to the source, the government’s contact person will take the powers that be into confidence and if things proceed positively the PTI may call off its November 24 protest march in return for some assurances for meeting their demands.

It is said that Tuesday’s apex committee meeting may be critically important to set the tone for whether the two sides will talk or continue the ongoing confrontation. Chief Minister KPK Ali Amin Gandapur has already told The News that he would raise in the apex committee the issue of Imran Khan, the PTI and the ongoing tension between his party and the military establishment. The apex committee, which is chaired by the Prime Minister, comprises the country’s top civil and military leadership. Therefore, Gandapur will have the opportunity to talk about the irritants between the PTI and the establishment in a platform where he would be sitting face to face with the top military leadership including the Army Chief General Asim Munir and all intelligence chiefs.

In case the decision is taken to start a dialogue between the two sides, it is said, the talks will be held between the PTI and the government. Military establishment may not be part of such a dialogue but in matters relating to PTI, the government’s negotiators would require the former’s nod before agreeing to any point.

According to a source even the PTI leaders, no matter what they say in public, know that in case of initiation of dialogue, their demands cannot be met forthwith. Presently, the start of the dialogue process would mean a big development. Initiation of the dialogue process, it is said, may persuade the PTI to call off its November 24 protest march to Islamabad where the party has announced to stage a sit-in until their demands are met.

The PTI, which claims to stage a big show in Islamabad on November 24th, is already worn out by the hardships and political outcomes of its confrontation with the military establishment. There is discussion even within the PTI that it should stop targeting the institution and its top leadership as it did not work in the past and will not do well in the future.