Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said on Sunday that the ruling coalition would not hold any dialogue with Pakistan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), saying “there are no talks with terrorists” . Aaj News reported.
Addressing a press conference, she said the PTI leadership believed in the idea of a confrontational policy.
“Those who have Kalashnikovs, truncheons and slingshots in their hands are not eligible for the talks,” she said when asked about the government’s attempt to engage the PTI.
Earlier statements by PML-N leaders suggest the government may consider taking steps to ban the PTI after the party’s attacks on police forces in Lahore and Islamabad.
Enough Evidence to Declare PTI Prohibited Organization: Rana Sana
Interior Minister Rana Sanuallah said on Saturday that the raid on Imran Khan’s residence in Zaman Park revealed “enough evidence” to justify declaring the PTI a banned organization.
The minister said the government would consult with the legal team to see if a process could be initiated in this regard. “It is a legal procedure to declare a party proscribed. On that, I think our legal team and our government will have to see what the possibilities of victory are in this process,” he said.
Rana Sanaullah said terrorists were hiding in Zaman Park when the raid was carried out. “Weapons, petrol bombs, etc. were recovered from Imran Khan’s residence, which is sufficient evidence to file a complaint against the PTI for being a militant organization,” he said.
Maryam claims trained terrorists attacked police in Lahore
Similarly, PMLN Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz shared a video on her Twitter account on Sunday, claiming that the people who attacked police at Zaman Park were not “political workers”.
“They are trained terrorists and miscreants recruited into banned groups that IK has always supported,” Maryam said.
“The evidence speaks for itself. The state must act before it is too late,” she added.
“I have no doubt that he (Imran) was launched to sow turmoil in the country,” she said during a press conference with party leaders at the PML secretariat- NOT.
“The state should consider removing the label of a political party from the PTI.”
Imran says ready for talks
Earlier this week, former prime minister and PTI chairman Imran Khan said he was “ready to talk to anyone” for the good of Pakistan and to protect the country’s interests.
“I’m ready to take every step in this direction,” he said in a Twitter post.
He warned that he was ready to make any sacrifice for the protection of Pakistan’s “interests and democracy”.
Fawad asks the government to set a date and place for the talks
Following Imran’s statement, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry called on the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)-led government to set a date and venue for a meeting of all political parties.
In a tweet, Fawad said Federal Justice Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar was making statements daily to sit together and resolve issues.
“Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has also requested talks,” he said. “Also go beyond declarations and give a date and a place for the (political) parties to meet. Imran Khan has already favored dialogues.
Separately, Fawad again reiterated his request for the government to “assign a date and venue” while addressing the media outside the Lahore High Court.
In February 2023, the government decided to convene an all-party conference following an explosion at a mosque in Peshawar in January.
However, the conference was canceled.