PTI accepts NA Speaker’s invitation for negotiations

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram has said that PTI has accepted National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq’s invitation for negotiations.

“Our negotiation committee will attend the meeting tomorrow,” he said, adding that PTI founder Imran Khan will be informed about the progress of the meeting tomorrow as well.

Also read: PM forms negotiation committee following NA speaker, PTI chairman’s suggestions

“Imran Khan will decide to postpone or cancel the civil disobedience movement,” Akram said. Hopefully, the government committee will show seriousness tomorrow, PTI Information Secretary said, adding, “The full details of tomorrow’s negotiation committee meeting will be told to Imran Khan, who will then determine the future strategy.”

NA SPEAKER INVITES GOVT, OPPOSITION NEGOTIATION COMMITTEES TOMORROW

Earlier on Sunday, NA Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq welcomed the formation of a negotiation committee by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for talks with the opposition party PTI.

The Prime Minister’s initiative to resolve issues through talks is a welcome move, the NA speaker said. He said that he has invited the government and the opposition to hold talks in good faith. “The doors of the Speaker’s office are always open to members,” Ayaz Sadiq said, adding that progress can only be made through talks.

“I have invited the members of both committees to meet tomorrow at 11:30 AM,” Ayaz Sadiq said, adding, “I have called both committees so that the process of talks can be taken forward.”

The NA speaker will the members of both the committees in his chamber tomorrow.

PM FORMED COMMITTEE AFTER PTI CONVEYED INTENT FOR TALKS

Earlier today, Prime Minister Sharif had constituted a negotiation committee comprising members of the coalition parties to hold talks with the PTI. The move came after NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq suggested to the PM to form the committee.

Yesterday, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar had expressed PTI’s willingness to hold talks with the government. The speaker informed the premier that PTI had also formed a committee for negotiations, and therefore the government should do the same.

Also read: Civil disobedience movement: Imran Khan’s ‘seven reasons why’

On Sunday morning, PM Shehbaz announced the formation of the committee, comprising Ishaq Dar, Rana Sanaullah, Senator Irfan Siddiqui, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Naveed Qamar, Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Abdul Aleem Khan, Chaudhry Salik and Sardar Khalid Magsi.

Now the two committees are scheduled to meet tomorrow (Monday) in the NA Speaker’s chambers.