Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) has decided to continue talks with the Pakistan Democratic Movement's government despite all odds over holding elections across the country on the same day, the 24NewsHD TV channel reported on Saturday.
According to sources, a decision to this effect was taken in the meeting of PTI central leadership assembled at the Zaman Park Lahore to deliberate on whether to continue negotiations with the government or not.
The meeting was chaired by PTI Chairman Imran Khan. Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Fawad Chaudhry, Shibli Faraz, Senator Azam Swat, Ijaz Chaudhry, Hammad Azhar, Mahmood Khan, and others attended the meeting.
The session considered the future of the ongoing talks with the government after the police’s raid at the residence of PTI President Chaudhry Parvez Elahi. The party leaders strongly condemned the raid.
They were of the view that the raid at Elahi’s house could be a conspiracy to make PTI end the talks, but if the party called off dialogue, the government may get a chance in the Supreme Court.
The meeting considered all options, including protest, against the police raid on Elahi’s residence.
However, the PTI leadership agreed that they must continue dialogues for the betterment of the country in all adverse political situations, the sources added.
The members also suggested that there should not be too much delay in finalizing to make the process fruitful, adding that if the party’s proposal is not implemented, the dialogues can be called off.
Imran Khan was also briefed on the negotiations with the government on finalizing a date for elections in Punjab. The meeting also reviewed the PTI’s future plan of action.
On Friday night, police and an anti-corruption team carried out an unsuccessful raid at Elahi’s residence to arrest him at around 11 pm. The Zahoor Palace was searched three to four times, but the PTI official could not be found.
Reporter: Usman Khadim