Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif says the government remains open to dialogue with PTI if it ends its long march and sit-in.
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday urged the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to end its long march and sit-in, saying the government remains willing to resume political dialogue once the protests are called off.
Addressing the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kashmir Chowk Underpass in Islamabad, Shehbaz Sharif said the “ominous shadows” of sit-ins and long marches had re-emerged and warned that renewed political agitation could affect Pakistan’s economic progress.
The prime minister said the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had agreed, after consultations, to pursue meaningful and result-oriented negotiations with the PTI to resolve political differences through dialogue.
He said talks had continued for two days in the Speaker’s Chamber, with efforts made day and night in the hope of reaching a positive outcome. However, according to Shehbaz, the PTI sought changes to matters that had already been agreed upon at the final stage of the discussions.
The prime minister said the government had made serious efforts to make the negotiations successful but regretted that the talks did not produce the desired result. The government’s account of the breakdown has been disputed by PTI representatives, who have cited unresolved issues concerning access to party founder Imran Khan and other matters.
Shehbaz warned that politics involving long marches and sit-ins could disrupt economic activity, including manufacturing, imports and exports, if workers, engineers and other employees were unable to reach workplaces on time.
“The first target of this sit-in and long-march politics will be your economy,” the prime minister said, according to reports of his remarks.
He said Pakistan had achieved macroeconomic stability through sustained efforts and teamwork and that the focus should now shift toward growth and development. He also referred to increases in exports, information technology exports, remittances and domestic production during September.
The prime minister again called on the PTI to end its long march and sit-in, saying the government would then sit down with the party for talks aimed at moving the country forward.
The PTI’s long march toward Islamabad began after negotiations with the government failed to resolve key disputes. The march is being led by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi.
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