Federal Government Finalizes Strategy and Agenda for Impending Negotiations with Opposition Leadership
ISLAMABAD: The federal government has settled its internal strategy and key negotiating points for possible talks with the opposition leaders in both the Senate and the National Assembly.
Authoritative government sources have confirmed that the government will pay attention only to engagement with the opposition within the framework of the constitution and the law. The Prime Minister returned from the United States, and a key meeting between him and political leader and former chairman of the Balochistan National Party (BNP) Mehmood Khan Achakzai is expected soon after the PM’s return.
Type of Agenda: Constitutional Appointments Exclusively
Sources in the government said any future talks with the opposition leaders would be over mandatory constitutional appointments, namely that of the Chief Election Commissioner and two electoral commission members.
Most importantly, the authorities said they will not be part of the official negotiating table for the release of PTI leader and Bushra Bibi. In addition, the government has announced that it will not consider demands to admit Imran Khan to a private hospital. Sources stressed that negotiations on individual legal cases or prisoner demands will not be done under protest threats, but that everything will be done within the constitution’s parameters.
Background of Dialogue Offers
The renewed diplomatic discussion came after some political tension, when the Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas called for the formation of a political committee by offering unconditional talks. At the same time, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar claimed that the informal discussions are still continuing and emphasised the need to defuse political tensions and stop further polarization.