Govt-Opp deadlock deepens
 

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Core Committee Saturday declared in categorical terms that Prime Minister Imran Khan would neither step down nor fresh polls would be held, terming the JUI-Fazl’s demands ridiculous.Following the opposition leaders’ speeches at the Azadi March, the Core Committee meeting was summoned for Saturday to take stock of the latest political situation with particular reference to Fazlur Rehman’s ultimatum to Prime Minister Imran Khan to resign within two days.Among others, the meeting was attended by Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak, Interior Minister Ijaz Shah, Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar, Chief Minister KP Mahmood Khan, Minister for Human Rights Dr. Shireen Mazari, Minister for Education Shafqat Mehmood, Minister for Kashmir Affairs Ali Amin Gandapur, Special Assistant to the PM on Information and Broadcasting Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan, Leader of the House in the Senate Syed Shibli Faraz, Jahangir Khan Tareen, Asad Umar, Aamir Mehmood Kiani and Dr. Babar Awan.It was learnt that there would be no elections before time and Prime Minister Imran Khan would stay, enjoying the mandate of the masses. The committee also focused on the overall economic and political situation in the country and castigated the JUI-Fazl for criticising the state institutions just to please his foreign masters.The forum reiterated that the government committee would continue dialogue with the opposition leadership but this must not be misconstrued as its weakness and that there could be no possibility of meeting unconstitutional and undemocratic demands of the opposition.It also made it clear that the dialogue process could be discontinued if the opposition persisted with its blackmail.The prime minister instructed Interior Minister Ijaz Shah to be ready for coping with any kind of situation.“JUI-Fazl chief wants to push Pakistan into a situation, where Afghanistan was some two hundred years back. But this is next to impossible. How come a person, who failed to even win his own seat from his native constituency, dare to endanger the entire democratic system in Pakistan,” a senior PTI leader said, when The News approached him for his comment on the meeting.Meanwhile, Ali Amin Gandapur, who had defeated Fazl from his constituency in DI Khan, announced to hold a public meeting in the constituency and gather double number of people, as compared to the Azadi March.Agencies add: Meanwhile, Defence Minister and head of the government negotiating committee Pervaiz Khan Khattak Saturday announced that the government will move court over the speeches of Azadi March leaders threatening to arrest Prime Minister Imran Khan.Speaking to the reporters here along with senior leaders Asad Umar, Shafqat Mehmood, Pir Noorul Haq Qadri and Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan after attending the PTI Core Committee meeting, Khattak said PM Khan’s resignation was out of question and national institutions will come forward in case the country slipped towards instability.He said the opposition would not succeed in its propaganda.He said the government and the PTI Core Committee were saddened by the Friday’s speeches of the opposition leaders.Khattak said they hoped the JUI F-led protesters will stick to the agreement they had reached with the government and will not violate its provisions.“If they violated the agreement, then the administration will take action. Make no mistake about it; if anything unfortunate happens, these people will be held responsible,” he said.“These people fear that if the PTI government completed its term, then their politics will end. There will be no talk of the prime minister resigning and no one should even consider it,” he said.The defence minister said his team was in contact with the opposition Rahber Committee.He said the opposition leaders criticised institutions more than government and received a response from them adding that those institutions had made huge sacrifices for ensuring peace in the country.Khattak said the government doors were open for talks with the opposition but they will not allow any attempt to create chaos in the country.He said if the march participants left their designated place to move forward, they will be breaking the agreement signed with the administration.He said any damage caused to the lives and property will be the sole responsibility of the opposition if they resorted to violence.The defense minister said the core committee had also regretted the statements made on container of the opposition leaders.He said holding protest at this critical juncture when Kashmir issue was in the limelight will undermine that important cause.He said criticism of national institutions by the march leaders will not serve any purpose.“Our national institutions are our pride and these are working for the nation. If the opposition has any issue, they should talk to government.”He said the core committee had decided to go to the court against Fazlur Rehman after he threatened to arrest the prime minister as it was equivalent to inciting people to mutiny.“Whose agenda are these people following when they talk against our institutions?” Khattak asked, adding that the legal case was ready and will be filed tomorrow (Monday).Khattak made it clear that the government will not backtrack on its word.“We are democratic people,” Khattak asserted, accusing the JUI F rally of being undemocratic.He said Fazlur Rehman had agreed to the matters discussed with the Rahber Committee. On the one hand, they talk about negotiations, on the other they threaten to sue force,” Khattak said.“We are in contact with Akram Durrani. Our doors will always be open for negotiations,” he added.In a veiled reference to the PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Khattak said those who were against the use of religion card were also standing on the container.Khattak said the PML-N leader and Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif should think about how he had come into power in the past.“If 30,000 or 40,000 people ask for resignation, then democracy cannot go on,” he added.Replying to a question, Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood said Prime Minister Imran Khan had very effectively highlighted the case in the world adding that the protest march had diverted attention from the Kashmir issue.He said the opposition should lodge their complaint with the Election Commission of Pakistan if they had any objection to the national election results.Asked if reversal of the army chief’s reappointment for another term was being demanded, the defence minister said he had not heard of any such demand, adding that the (reappointment) had already been notified.http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/com/cwEr/~4/2pDq5uIDtec

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