PESHAWAR: Jamaat-i-Islami chief Sirajul Haq has said that he has presented a four-point formula to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to defuse tension between federal government and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf.

“I have put up four-point formula before Premier Nawaz Sharif and the ball is in the federal government’s court,” he told a press conference here on Thursday.

The JI chief declined to reveal his formula, which he claimed could steer the country out of the current crises. He said that he discussed the formula with PTI chairman Imran Khan before meeting with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday. He said that it would be inappropriate to disclose those four points.

“The federal government should show sagacity and should find out political solution rather than indulging itself in technicalities,” Mr Siraj said and urged that the prime minister not to waste time. He said that his meeting was scheduled with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leaders in Islamabad on Thursday to hold more discussion on the formula, but it was postponed.

“Any mishap can happen after August 14 if political forces do not show maturity and sincerity,” the JI chief said, adding that federal government should be more responsible. He said that government should refrain from use of power and allow political parties to hold rallies.

Mr Siraj said that Imran Khan had a right to ask for resignation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif or midterm elections. When asked whether JI would participate in PTI’s sit-in in Islamabad on August 14, he said that his party would respond to Imran’s invitation after August 10.

JI is coalition partner of PTI in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and Mr Siraj had expressed reservations over Imran’s statements about dissolution of the provincial assembly.

The JI chief said that some opportunists were trying to exploit differences between political forces. He said that political parties should work for the supremacy of constitution and parliament. He said that formation of electoral reform committee was positive step, but government should take the decision very early.

Published in Dawn, August 8th, 2014