ISLAMABAD: The PTI has claimed that its olive branch of negotiation hasn’t been accepted by the government and also rejected the idea of a multi-party government.
There have been speculations about a national government being formed next year. However, PTI, has dismissed the propositions as “disrespect” of people’s mandate.
In a statement, PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram said anything short of restoring the party’s mandate would be unacceptable.
This would be a “blatant disregard” for democratic principles and a travesty of democracy.
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“The nation achieved a peaceful revolution on February 8 by granting PTI a landslide victory, only to be robbed of this mandate through a midnight polls heist,” Mr Akram claimed on Thursday.
“This stolen mandate was, in fact, the genuine representation of the people’s will, and its restoration is crucial for upholding democratic principles.”
Mr Akram made it unequivocally clear that those profferring the idea of a national government had nothing to do with PTI because such a proposal was not workable, and accepting it would be a “disrespect of public mandate”.
Mr Akram also categorically denied any negotiations between PTI and the government.
He emphasised that despite PTI founder Imran Khan’s consistent advocacy for a peaceful resolution of issues through dialogue, no formal talks were held with the government.
Sources in PTI have lamented that their willingness to negotiate was mistaken as a “weakness” by the government who derided the party as “begging” for negotiations.
Mr Akram said the PTI founder opened the door for talks by constituting a five-member committee.
The PTI would “never beg for talks” as the government’s continued persecution of the party’s workers and leaders didn’t create a conducive environment for talks.
He stressed that it was the government’s responsibility to lay the groundwork for negotiations, as any attempts at dialogue under the current circumstances would be an exercise in futility.
Production order
The party has also submitted a request to the upper house of parliament to issue production orders for Ejaz Chaudhary, a Senate member.
In a letter addressed to the Senate chairman, PTI’s Dr Babar Awan said Mr Chaudhary has been in prison for one-and-a-half years and wasn’t allowed to attend any meetings of the house.
Later, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Opposition Leader in National Assembly Omar Ayub and Dr Awan confirmed in a press conference that an application for the production order had been submitted.
Mr Ayub said the party also took up the issue of PTI workers who were in jail.
He alleged that weapons of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation were used in action against PTI workers.
According to Mr Ayub, around 200 PTI workers were missing and 5,000 under arrest.
Meeting with HRCP delegation
On Thursday, a delegation of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) met PTI leaders and discussed the situation after the party’s protest in Islamabad last month.
The meeting was attended by PTI leaders Mr Ayub, Asad Qaiser, Sardar Latif Khosa and other members of the National Assembly.
Mr Ayub claimed security personnel fired “straight bullets” at his party’s protesters, which was a “violation of human rights”.
Mr Qaiser said some PTI workers arrested after the protest were being implicated in May 9 cases.
Barrister Gohar demanded an inquiry commission to bring facts to light.
Adil Khan Bazai, whose disqualification by the Election Commission was recently overturned by the Supreme Court, said he was deprived of his seat and his plaza in Quetta, worth over Rs1 billion, demolished allegedly because he was against the 26th Constitutional Amendment.
The HRCP delegation included Munizae Jahangir, Nasir Zaidi, Sadia Ghaffari, Khushhal Khan, Muhammad Asif and others.
Published in Dawn, December 13th, 2024
