PM Shehbaz urges PTI to end long march and return to talks

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday urged the PTI to call off its long march to Islamabad and invited the opposition to sit down with the government and settle their differences through political dialogue.

Speaking at the groundbreaking of the Kashmir Chowk underpass in Islamabad, the prime minister said it was “unfortunate” that the “dreadful shadows” of long marches were hovering again, despite efforts by the PML-N and PPP to engage the PTI, Dawn reported.

“Only one purpose”

The PM said the two sides had held two days of talks in National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq’s chamber, and “it was hoped that politics of confrontation would end”.

“Unfortunately, that did not happen. They only had one purpose: to ensure that the talks do not succeed,” he said, adding that the opposition had demanded changes to matters already settled.

The economy at stake

Shehbaz said protests and long marches hurt the economy, disrupting exports, imports and manufacturing. “We collectively improved the economy in 2.5 years and reached macroeconomic stability. Now is the time for it to flourish,” he said, noting that IT exports, remittances and production improved in September.

“If someone harms it, is it not equivalent to being an enemy of the country?” he asked, stressing that the government would not allow the economy to be wrecked or lives to be put at risk.

“Give as much political space as you can”

Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry gave a detailed account of how the talks broke down. He said that after the first day, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi went to Lahore late at night to tell the prime minister that the PTI had agreed “100 percent” with the federal government’s points on terrorism, The Express Tribune reported.

“The prime minister said, ‘give as much political space as you can’,” Chaudhry said, quoting him as adding that “the political capital for parties comes and goes”. He recalled the PM saying the PML-N had lost popularity by taking tough steps to save Pakistan from default.

A deal that slipped away

According to Chaudhry:

• Day one: the government set out its position on terrorism in KP and the provincial government’s role
• Overnight: PTI negotiators consulted KP’s leadership in Peshawar and confirmed agreement on terrorism
• Day two: a draft covering political and security matters was ready by 9pm, and Naqvi was preparing to take it to President Asif Ali Zardari
• The last minute: the opposition team met separately and consulted KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi. “When they came out, they couldn’t look us in the eye and asked for permission to leave,” he said

“I used to think that a second Charter of Democracy was beginning,” Chaudhry said.

Conditions for new talks

Chaudhry said any new talks depended on the PTI calling off its marches and protests, and warned that “political and constitutional measures are in place”. “Constitutional options are under discussion, but the political option comes first,” he said. He also asked whether the National Action Plan, the second version of which was agreed under Imran Khan’s government, was “against the people of KP”.

The PTI’s version

The PTI says the talks failed over access to Imran Khan, his medical treatment and counterterrorism policy. Salman Akram Raja, part of its team, said the main disagreement was the party’s position that anti-terrorism action in KP must be agreed between the federal and provincial governments.

Why it matters

Both sides say they want dialogue, but on different terms: the government wants the march called off first, while the PTI wants access to Imran. The march reaches Khairabad on October 8. Read our reports on Kundi’s warning at Attock and on Salman Akram Raja’s account of the talks.

This article draws on reporting by Dawn and The Express Tribune.