After the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) formed a committee to negotiate with the government, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah predicted its failure. On Friday, Sanaullah ruled out holding conditional talks with the PTI, which has threatened to launch a civil disobedience movement if its demands are ignored.
“We are open to negotiations,” said Sanaullah during an interview with a private TV channel. However, he clarified that political discussions must remain free from preconditions.
A day earlier, PTI founder Imran Khan, who remains in jail, announced on X (formerly Twitter) the creation of a five-member committee for dialogue. The team includes Omar Ayub Khan, Ali Amin Gandapur, Sahibzada Hamid Raza, Salman Akram Raja, and Asad Qaiser. Imran warned of starting a civil disobedience movement if the government did not meet his demands. These include a judicial inquiry into the May 9 riots, the crackdown on PTI protesters on November 26, and the release of political prisoners.
PTI’s Islamabad protest, which aimed to secure Imran Khan’s release, ended abruptly after a government crackdown at midnight. The setback has fueled debates within political circles about PTI’s strategies.
Sanaullah dismissed PTI’s demands as “non-negotiable.” He urged the party to use legal channels to secure bail for its imprisoned members. Commenting on the crackdown in Islamabad, he advised PTI to join the ongoing investigation into the violent protests that led to clashes between party supporters and law enforcement.
The adviser further predicted that PTI’s civil disobedience plan would fail. He argued that the party had already suffered significant political damage after the Islamabad protest fiasco.
Meanwhile, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) has increased pressure on the government regarding the madrassa registration bill. The Societies Registration (Amendment) Act, 2024, aims to streamline madrassa registration.
JUI-F Secretary-General Abdul Ghafoor Haideri warned of a march on Islamabad if the legislation did not receive approval from President Asif Ali Zardari. He emphasized that the bill’s passage was part of an agreement with the government in support of the 26th Constitutional Amendment.
Sanaullah assured that the government is committed to resolving JUI-F’s grievances. The Societies Act, passed by the National Assembly and Senate in October, is essential to fulfilling the agreement with JUI-F.
