Coalition sets terms for talks, says dialogue possible only without preconditions
ISLAMABAD:
The federal government and its coalition partners on Monday pushed back against the declaration issued by Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ain Pakistan (TTAP), questioning both the feasibility of its demands and the political intent behind them, while reiterating that dialogue remains possible only if it is meaningful and constitutional.
The opposition alliance, after two-day deliberations in Islamabad, had on Sunday put forth its joint declaration, containing a series of demands including a probe into the February 24 elections as well as a call for a dialogue.
Reacting to the opposition demands, Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry of PML-N said that the government was not opposed to dialogue.
Speaking to a private news channel, he recalled that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had previously engaged with Barrister Gohar Ali Khan in similar efforts. “The problem with PTI is that they are divided. One faction wants dialogue but does not know with whom, another insists on talking only with the establishment, and the majority only seeks anarchy,” he said.
Similarly, the PPP, a key coalition partner of the federal government, backed the idea of dialogue but with caveats.
PPP Secretary Nayyer Bukhari told The Express Tribune that the dialogue was meaningful only if confidence-building measures were in place. “They want dialogue with some other quarters,” he said.
“Dialogue committees were formed in the past but were later dissolved by the party’s own former chairman, reflecting a trust deficit,” he said.
JUI-F leader Ziaur Rehman termed TTAP’s demand for a probe into the 2024 elections “incomplete”, arguing that any credible investigation must also include the 2018 polls.
He told The Express Tribune that Achakzai had opposed the 2018 elections and protested alongside opposition parties at the time. “Limiting the demand for an election probe to 2024 alone makes it a half demand,” he said.
He stressed that restoring public confidence requires genuinely free and fair elections and a truly independent election commission.
Ahmad Bilal Mehboob, chairman of PILDAT, said the problem now, legally and constitutionally, is that an election cannot be challenged through any method other than an election petition. Election petitions are already pending before the tribunals, with decisions announced in about half of the cases,” he said.
