Islamabad (TDI): The much-awaited talks between the government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) are finally underway in Islamabad after a brief delay.
Converging at the Parliament House on Monday, both sides are holding the discussions with “hopes of a positive outcome” in a bid to ease the political tensions in the country.
The meeting, presided over by National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, is being attended by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Senator Irfan Siddiqui, PM’s Adviser Rana Sanaullah, PPP leaders Naveed Qamar, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, and MQM-P leader Farooq Sattar.
PTI, meanwhile, is being represented by former NA Speaker Asad Qaiser, Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen Allama Raja Nasir Abbas and Sunni Ittehad Council Chairman Sahibzada Hamid Raza in today’s session.
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Other members of party’s committee, who couldn’t attend the meeting include Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur, PTI General Secretary Salman Akram Raja, senior PTI leader Hamid Khan.
The gathering witnessed the recitation of Holy Quran, followed by prayers for the development of the nation and success of talks before officially commencing the negotiation process.
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Ending an extended deadlock, based on initial the reluctance of both sides to move ahead with the talks, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had on Sunday constituted a high-level committee comprising senior members of the coalition government to hold dialogue with PTI.
The government members have stressed that dialogue won’t bear fruit if it is done under pressure as PTI is yet to call off its currently postponed civil disobedience movement.