ISLAMABAD: Senator Barrister Ali Zafar of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has declared there is no conducive environment for negotiation between the government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) at the moment. He asserted that while PTI is in favour of dialogue, the situation is not conducive at all or “no light” for talks to happen.
In the first place, he opined that as per Article 17 of the Constitution of Pakistan, each political party has the right to play politics. But, he pointed out, PTI is being denied the right to political expression. He remarked that Article 17(2) distinctly says that no political party can proceed against the integrity of the nation.
Barrister Zafar further said that this article had been the subject of extensive parliamentary discussions that finally resulted in the Election Act being enacted. According to this law, political parties that are accused of acting against the nation’s integrity must provide ample evidence to back up the allegation. He emphasized that mere accusations are not sufficient; evidence must be submitted to either the Supreme Court or a constitutional court.
During the discussion, the senator accepted PTI’s willingness to engage in negotiations but he did admit that the prevailing political conditions do not favour dialogue. He also stated that the government is not facilitating the ongoing process of creating the environment needed for talks to happen.
Rana Sanaullah: PTI’s future at stake if Imran Khan continues confrontation with state
Senator Rana Sanaullah, the Prime Minister’s Advisor on Political Affairs, has warned that if the PTI founder persists in his aggressive behaviour towards the state, it will not only ruin his party but also bring about negative consequences for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) administration.
Sanaullah asserted that the proposal for dialogue by the Prime Minister was the result of discussions with the establishment and the government’s allies. Moreover, he stated that the government holds to the idea of serious political negotiations but judged by Imran Khan’s past conduct, he has never been inclined to engage in such discussions.
