As opposition parties gear up for a fresh wave of countrywide protests after Eidul Fitr, the government on Tuesday accepted Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s offer to mediate with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and initiate dialogue to resolve ongoing political tensions.
The development came a day after Bilawal, during a speech at the Governor House in Lahore, proposed his party’s role as a neutral facilitator between rival political forces.
“I have informed the prime minister that the PPP is willing to act as a bridge between political forces to foster dialogue and cooperation,” Bilawal had said. He also reiterated his party’s openness to dialogue with the government to encourage constructive discussions.
Confirming the move, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political and Public Affairs Rana Sanaullah said during an appearance on local media, “The government has accepted Bilawal’s mediation offer and assigned him the responsibility of holding talks with the PTI.”
He added, “If Bilawal gets assurance from the PTI to attend the meeting, there is no problem in re-convening the National Security Committee meeting.”
In his Lahore address, Bilawal urged the federal government to engage all political stakeholders, including those who boycotted the last high-level meeting on national security, in a renewed effort to counter terrorism.
“Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif should convene another meeting, even if after a month… We hope to build a national consensus to combat terrorism,” he asserted.
Sanaullah acknowledged PPP’s role in the ruling coalition and said that bringing PTI to the negotiation table would be a collective achievement. “It would be their joint success if Bilawal succeeds in bringing PTI to the negotiation table,” he remarked.
