ISLAMABAD: It was just before midnight on Tuesday that Jamaat-i-Islami Emir Sirajul Haq revealed that both the government and the two protesting leaders had agreed to resume negotiations to end the prevailing political crisis.

But this initiative came separately, outside the joint session of parliament, where parliamentary leaders pou­red scorn on both Dr Tahirul Qadri and Imran Khan; some even going as far as to call them “mutineers”.

Throughout the day, it looked like both the government and the protesting lea­ders had taken highly polarised positions, leaving no room for talks, and were hea­ded for a confrontation. This is why Tuesday night’s developments left many scratching their heads in the capital.

But after a six-member ‘peace committee’ — led by the JI chief — held separate meetings with Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) leaders in their respective containers, reporters on the scene were given the good news.

In a brief statement, Mr Haq said the two leaders had agreed to resume talks with the government, adding that the six-member committee would separately meet both parties’ representatives later in the night to discuss their demands in detail. He used both words, “committee” and “Jirga” to describe the six-member panel which he said was purely an opposition initiative.

Apart from Mr Haq, the opposition’s negotiating committee includes Fata MNA Ghazi Gulab Jamal, JI Secretary General Liaquat Baloch, BNP-Awami’s Senator Kalsoom Parveen, National Party leader Hasil Bizenjo and former interior minister Rehman Malik.

In categorical terms, Mr Haq gave voice to the protesters’ sentiments when he said that leaders from both parties did not trust the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-N and that the opposition was working to allay this concern. “In case the two sides reach an agreement, opposition parties are willing to act as guarantors. Moreover, to ensure that no party backs out, the accord will be finalised in the presence of media.”

Although the JI chief didn’t take any questions, he explained that the committee had already consulted with the government in this regard. “I took the government by the collar and asked them to restart the talks,” Mr Haq said.

In his statement to the media, Rehman Malik – who claimed to be acting on behalf of his party Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, advised the government to release all detained protesters as a goodwill gesture. He also asked that government ministers be restrained from making incendiary statements if the peace process was to be made effective.

He also disclosed that Mr Zardari was due in the capital soon, where he is expected to play a part in working to resolve the prevailing impasse.

The committee members met Mr Khan at his container first, but as the nation watched on TV with bated breath, the meeting ended in a mere 10 minutes. The panel then spent around an hour in Dr Qadri’s container.

Earlier in the day, however, there were no signs of a possible thaw.

Separately, former information minister and Pakistan People’s Party Information Secretary Qamar Zaman Kaira also met the PAT chief. “If the two sides show some flexibility, a political solution is still possible,” Mr Kaira told reporters after his meeting, adding that he was there with the blessing of his party.

Published in Dawn, September 3rd, 2014