PM Shehbaz Sets Condition For Negotiations With Imran Khan

PM Shehbaz Sets Condition For Negotiations With Imran Khan
Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has said that the government can hold talks with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan on the condition that the former prime minister apologizes to the nation for his acts and sayings.

In a fiery address at the National Assembly, he termed Imran Khan a "fraud," adding that it was not possible to talk with someone who was involved in robbing the country, attacking institutions, and not caring about the constitution.

"I feel no negotiations can be done with a person who persistently and condescendingly rejects invitations for talks on everything, whether it's COVID-19, the current situation of terrorism in the nation, the apex committee meeting, or the Kashmir conference," he said.

The PM emphasized that it was impossible to yield to Khan and stated that in a democracy there are no weapons, only conversation; "but we are short on time."

The prime minister stated that the two Supreme Court (SC) judges' dissenting opinion, which questioned the chief justice of Pakistan's (CJP) authority, was "a light of optimism."

The "decision" from yesterday was reached by four of the seven judges, he said, and thus the Parliament had a responsibility to do everything in its power to pass laws that would support the "decision.".

Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail noted that it is important "to revisit the power of 'one-man show' enjoyed by the office of the CJP [Umar Ata Bandial]" in a 27-page detailed note that is considered to be a "judgment" for the supreme court's March 1 verdict in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa suo motu.

 PM Shehbaz remarked, "The calls for change emanating from the judiciary itself are surely a ray of light for the country," adding that if the house did not participate in bringing about the "required" changes, the country would not be able to forgive them.

Elections are the beauty of a democracy, and no political party can avoid them, he added.