August 17, 2002	Saturday	Jamadi-us-Saani 7, 1423

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ISLAMABAD, Aug 16: The Pakistan Tehrek-i-Insaf (PTI) has taken an initiative to create national political consensus on critical issues being faced by the country.

A delegation of the PTI, led by the central information secretary, Akbar S. Babar, and the member of the central executive committee, Sardar Azhar Tariq Khan, met the chairman of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Raja Zafarul Haq, in Islamabad.

The emerging political situation in the country, particularly the need for free and fair elections, was discussed in the meeting.

The leaders of both the parties expressed concern over the continuing pre-poll manipulation and the cobbling together of a “King’s party alliance”.

They agreed that as long as the people were denied their fundamental right of choosing their leadership without fear or intimidation, the country would remain in political instability because of the manufactured leadership, which repeatedly failed to deliver.

The PTI leaders proposed a five-point agenda of national consensus, which included; holding of completely free and fair elections, constitutional amendments should remain the sole prerogative of the elected parliament, formulation of an ethical economic policy, a completely independent foreign policy and reforms in judicial system, and across the board accountability.

The chairman of the PML-N welcomed the PTI initiative to contact him and stated that despite differences, mature politics demanded interaction among the politicians.