ISLAMABAD: Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) chief Sirajul Haq on Monday said the government and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) should come back to the talks’ table, adding that all political parties in Parliament were prepared to act as guarantor in case the two opposing sides reach an agreement.
Speaking to media representatives following a national consultation conference of political parties in Islamabad, Haq said safeguarding the Constitution was the duty of all political parties and it was important to respect the will of the people.
“We believe the country is only protected by the public and not through weapons…it's important to respect the people’s will...just having an atom bomb and a lot of weapons won't help the country in any meaningful way.”
Haq, who was presiding the conference, said political parties also condemned all kinds of terror — whether done by the government, the state or by any organisation.
Islamabad is under siege, Haq said, adding that all Pakistanis whether they lived in Pakistan or abroad were in a state of agony over current events.
“Normal life has been paralysed…the country’s political leadership needs to get behind the wheels as opposed to waiting and watching what happens,” the JI chief said and elaborated upon how his party had gone ahead and held discussions with as many political leaders and parties in order to find a way through the crisis.
“We met with Asif Zardari…we met and talked to the opposition leader as well…we also met with Imran, Nawaz and Shahbaz,” Haq said.
He said when PTI and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) were gearing towards their long marches, all political parties had agreed that the government should not stop them which on insistence from political forces also removed containers and in fact issued guidelines for the protesters on the sit-ins and protests they were planning.
He said the PTI had apprised him of its six demands and all political parties had expressed their agreement on five out of the six.
“But as far as the prime minister’s resignation is concerned, a demand like that is difficult for the Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) to agree with.”
Haq also explained how he had discussed the option of a judicial probe into the alleged rigging but before these could progress, people “came and went to Pindi” and events began to change quickly.
