Government Invites Opposition Leader Mehmood Achakzai for Talks in Speaker’s Chamber; Location Is Irrelevant When Discussing National Interest, Says Tariq Fazal Chaudhry
ISLAMABAD: The Federal government has invited opposition leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai to the National Assembly Speaker’s chamber for a constructive dialogue on national and constitutional issues on a formal basis.
Reacting to the latest political developments, Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said that it did not matter where the opposition leader went when he had to discuss important national issues and questions related to the constitution as the location was not important.
The following are some of the highlights of the government’s invitation and political stance.Some highlights of the government’s invitation and political stance follow.
Speaker’s Neutrality: Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said the Speaker of the National Assembly is absolutely neutral towards the government and opposition parties. He said the Speaker’s chamber was for the state and not for the ruling party, saying Achakzai would have ground for no complaints over the Speaker’s impartiality.
Background of the Dispute: This is after opposition leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai’s earlier rejection of the prime minister Shehbaz Sharif’s offer to meet him in his official chamber or office. The Achakzai had earlier said that he would meet the PM only at the house of a leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
Parliamentary Dialogue: The federal government has also affirmed its readiness to engage in Parliamentary dialogue to break deadlocks, emphasizing that there is a need for ongoing dialogue for democratic stability.