Dialogue Should Take Place, But PTI Long March Will Proceed Anyway, States Barrister Gohar; Expresses Disappointment Over Conditional Offers
ISLAMABAD: Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has voiced his disappointment over the government’s ‘conditional political dialogue’ approach, saying that one should not have rigid red lines and negotiations must be held in an open and unconditional format.
Barrister Gohar told the media outside the Parliament House that the party’s long march was on track and that the dialogue was first undertaken as a means to finding a peaceful resolution and paving the way forward. He said that if the caravan could enter Islamabad, then there will have to be meaningful talks for the party to get its core demands.
The highlights of Barrister Gohar’s Media Talk are:
On the topic of unconditional Talks, Gohar criticized the prime minister for putting conditions on talks, saying that dialogue cannot be constrained by any condition and that talks are more about filling up the gap rather than getting stuck with artificial blocks.
The long march will continue as planned towards Islamabad, said the PTI chairman, confirming the party’s line to advance through Peshawar, Khyber and Piran Dital, in a continuation of the march to Islamabad.
Clarifying recent political gossip, Gohar said that he had not held any meeting with Mohsin Naqvi the previous night, going on to say that any official discussions that party leadership have with any official are always done transparently. He also said that recent arrests of the founding chairman’s sisters and cousin only increased political tension.
Upcoming Consultations: Barrister Gohar announced that he would have consultations with the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sohail Afridi in Peshawar to discuss what to do next, stressing on the fact that political settlements are about constructive engagement and tangible progress on a genuine demand despite the dispute.