The third round of dialogue between the government and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has finally been called.  National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq has summoned the meeting - third round – on Jan 16 (Thursday). The two sides will once again sit together at 11.30am to  take the reconciliation efforts forward.  Earlier, rumours were rife that the negotiations between the two key political parties had been put on the back burner amid delay in PTI delegation’s meeting with Imran Khan to discuss the future course of action. 

The NA speaker, who oversees the negotiation process, is reported to have facilitated PTI leaders’ meeting with the incarcerated founder to pave the way for resumption of stalled talks.  Sahibzada Hamid Raza, who is focal person of the PTI team, says they have given the government time till Jan 31 to go for judicial inquiry into May 9 and Nov 26 incidents and any prevarication on the issue could jeopardise talks. The dialogue process between the government and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf seemed to have entered into a stalemate. 

Sources said the talks remained inconclusive after the PTI’s failure to submit the written demands. NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq did not call the session of dialogue committees.  Asad Qasier said the statements made by the PTI leaders in the previous meetings should be seen as kind of written demand. He said the government committee should bring the ‘real’ stakeholders and powers that be on board.  On the other hand, Senator Irfan Siddiqui said the talks could be jeopardised if the PTI failed to submit demands in writing.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)