After nearly a week of stonewalling, both PTI and PAT agreed to talk to the government on Wednesday, a day after the army made it clear that both sides must put an end to the impasse through discussion.

But talks began after charged party workers, spurred on by Dr Tahirul Qadri, laid siege to Parliament House while a session of the National Assembly was being held. Tensions were only quelled after the military contingent deployed at parliament intervened.

PAT arrived at the negotiating table first, happy to talk to government representatives in the public eye. The government side also demonstrated a will to negotiate as it sent a couple of groups to Qadri’s container on Constitution Avenue, even though he did not participate in discussions himself.

PTI preferred to negotiate behind closed doors and held discussions with a five-member government committee late into the night, which adjourned with a pledge to meet again the next afternoon.

But in public, both party chiefs stuck to their guns and continued to demand the resignation of the prime minister and his cabinet.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2014