A six-member cross-party negotiation team dubbed as Awami Jirga (council of people’s elders), met with protesting parties leaders in a bid to end a standoff that has seen three killed and hundreds injured in clashes between police and anti-government protesters. “Nation will soon hear a good news as both Imran Khan and Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri want a political solution to this crisis.
I have found them positively willing to bring an end to this impasse”, Pakistan People’s Party leader Rehman Malik told media after talking with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Pakistan Awami Tehreek leaders. Malik said that they were trying their best to get the country out of this political crisis. “It’s time the whole nation prayed for the success of our sincere endeavors”, said the PPP leader, who is famous for his negotiation skills. Chief of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Siraj-ul-Haq, who is leading the opposition committee, said both the protesting parties have formed their respective bodies to hold detailed dialogue with the Awami Jirga.
“Both the parties have agreed to continue the talks, so we are hopeful and are trying to strike a deal,” Siraj told Samaa. But he added: “A lot of work has yet to be done to end the crisis.” The Jirga, comprises Siraj-ul, Rehman Malik, Mir Hasil Bazinjo, Kulsoom Parveen, Liaquat Baloch, and J.J. Jamal. “We will first hold talks with the PTI committee and then PAT, after which there will be more rounds of talks whereby we will try to understand their demands, reservations, and apprehensions”, said Siraj. Meanwhile, the Jirga a bee line to PTI leader Jehangir Tarin’s residence to hold talks with the party committee. Party vice chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Jehangir Tarin, and Pervez Khattak are on the PTI team.
Earlier, the Jirga met with protesting parties’ leaders in a bid to end a standoff that has seen three killed and hundreds injured in clashes between police and anti-government protesters. It appeared as if talks between the Jirga and Imran Khan failed instantly. “The mediators went inside Khan’s container only come out in under 10 minutes”. According to analysts, the film likely flopped before its release most probably because of the “non-negotiability” of Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif’s resignation. Later, thje jirga called on Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri. -samaa
