No breakthrough in talks between PTI-PML-Q

LAHORE: The newly formed committee of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led by Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood met Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid’s (PML-Q) leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi on Monday, but it failed to allay reservations of the coalition partner.

Sources said the meeting failed to reach any breakthrough as differences persisted between the PTI and the PML-Q. It emerged Mahmood met separately with Elahi and conveyed the message of Prime Minister Imran Khan to him.

Elahi apprised the PTI leader of the reservations of PML-Q leaders and said dialogue could not be continued till the redressal of their reservations by the ruling party.

According to a private television channel, Elahi called for the implementation of the recommendations tabled by the previous dialogue committee which had included Jahangir Tareen and Pervaiz Khattak.

The PML-Q leader said he would prefer to hold a directmeeting with Prime Minister Khan. Both sides did not finalise the schedule for the next round of talks, sources added.

Mahmood is part of the committee along with other members, including Governor Punjab Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar and Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar, to address reservations of the PML-Q — a key coalition partner in the PTI-led federal and provincial governments. On Sunday, the PML-Q had demanded of the PTI-led government to start implementation of the negotiated matters. Chaudhry brothers said the talks would be held after the government started implementation of the previously negotiated matters. While pointing out the talks held between the government and the PML-Q with the second committee, they said making changes creates distrust. They urged the federal government not to establish the tradition of changing stances. Shujaat Hussain said the PML-Q was coordinating with the PTI government in view of the national interest, but some ministers were trying to create misunderstandings between them and PM Khan.