No need for talks if resignation is only demand: PM Imran Khan

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran said on Friday that there was no need for negotiations with the Azadi Marchers if his resignation was their only demand.

The prime minister held separate meetings with Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and the Rehbar Committee regarding the Azadi March.

Elahi apprised the prime minister of the developments in his talks with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman. He sought advice from the prime minister on how to proceed further in his negotiations with Fazl.

The government's negotiating team met the prime minister to inform him about the demands of the Rehbar Committee. "There's a lot of talk going on about my resignation," said the prime minister. "If that is the only demand of the opposition, there is no need for negotiations," he said.

Sources claimed that Elahi will take an important message of the prime minister to the JUI-F chief in their meeting scheduled to take place today (Friday). Elahi will meet members of the Rehbar Committee as well before he has a sit-down with the JUI-F chief.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran clarified that by allowing Nawaz Sharif to go abroad for medical treatment, the government had not given him an NRO. "We haven't given Nawaz any NRO," he was quoted as saying. "Taking Nawaz' name off the Exit Control List (ECL) is not giving him NRO," he added.

The prime minister said that Nawaz was actually ill and he sympathised withhim. He asked his ministers and party representatives not to make fun of the former prime minister's health.

"We will not do politics on Nawaz' health," said Prime Minister Imran. "The institutions are independent. Nawaz' name was put on the ECL because NAB suggested it and on NAB's advice, it will be removed from there," he added.

The prime minister said that opposition should agree to a parliamentary or judicial commission. "The government is ready for the investigation," he said. "We had only demanded investigation into four constituencies. Our government is ready to investigate all constituencies," he added.