WHILE the terms of reference for opening a formal dialogue between the PTI and the government are yet to be decided, the opposition should reconsider its January 31 deadline for the conclusion of talks.
The deadline was made public by PTI politicians after their meeting with their jailed leader Imran Khan on Thursday, apparently even before communicating it to the other party or the Speaker of the National Assembly, who helped the government and the PTI in their decision to sit. at the table to resolve the impasse. Lately, the PTI seems to be sending mixed signals regarding negotiations with the PML-N-led government.
On the one hand, he has shown his willingness to give negotiations a chance to lower the rising political temperature. On the other hand, he is trying to pressure the ruling coalition to advance the dialogue in the direction he prefers; It seems that no one in the PTI is empowered to take a decision on an important issue unless it is approved by Mr Khan. Unfortunately, by threatening to ask overseas Pakistanis to stop sending remittances if the negotiations do not yield “positive results”, he is taking a hardline stance that will make it difficult for the talks to progress.
It has also been noted that the PTI’s willingness to start a conversation with the parties on the treasury benches could be aimed at paving the way for talks with those who are actually seen as the decision makers. Ittehad Council’s Sunni leader Sahibzada Hamid Raza’s statement that Khan was ready to forgive everyone suggests the same.
Meanwhile, Khan claimed on his X account that he had rejected a “deal” that would have moved him to his Banigala residence, where he would be under house arrest, and given “political space” to his party. If Khan wants the dialogue with the government to yield results and create some space for his party, he should authorize the party’s negotiating committee to fully engage with the other side without setting deadlines and make whatever decisions he thinks are right as the talks progress. . Waiting for a signal from non-political sectors to thaw their relationship with them will not help either their party or democracy.
For its part, the government must understand that it cannot ignore the country’s most popular party for much longer and should hold serious talks with it to calm the growing political uncertainty, even if it currently considers itself in a stronger position.
With an IMF mission scheduled for the first formal biannual review of its financing program and the Champions Trophy scheduled for early next year, there is a lot to focus on. Both sides have a lot to lose if they decide to flout the talks process.
Published in Dawn, December 28, 2024
