‘Let’s sit together and strengthen Charter of Democracy’: Govt invites opposition for talks
ISLAMABAD: The government invited the opposition on Monday to hold talks, “strengthen and take forward” the Charter of Democracy — a 2006 document signed by PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and late Benazir Bhutto, with the commitment to struggle against dictatorship.
“Let us sit together to strengthen and take forward the Charter of Democracy”, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah Khan while addressing a Senate session in response to a speech by Opposition Leader Raja Nasir Abbas.
Sanaullah said the government was willing to hold dialogue with the opposition, which would strengthen democracy, rather than opting for confrontation and deadlock.
“We are ready to sit with you for the betterment of the country,” he asserted, maintaining that parties in the ruling coalition had stressed the need for talks even when the PTI was in power.
However, PTI founder Imran Khan was not ready to talk to politicians, he said, saying that his “stubbornness is a big hurdle” in the way of talks.
Without naming anyone but seemingly referring to the establishment, Sanaullah went on to say that the opposition wanted talks with those who did not want to talk to it.
He added that the government wanted the PTI to “become a part of Parliament by rejoining its standing committees”.
The PTI had resigned from the standing committees in September last year.
Sanaullah criticised the party on Monday for what he described as its “reluctance to become a part of the political process”.
More to follow
