LAHORE: The Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) has proposed convening an all-party conference (APC) to find a solution to the current political crisis.

The JI believed the parties with a representation in parliament could find a solution to the ongoing crisis arisen in the wake of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI) Islamabad sit-in and rallies across the country.

Since no negotiations between the government and the PTI were underway and the ‘political jirga’ was not in touch with Imran Khan’s party, the JI was of the view that it was high time an APC was convened without any delay to address the issue.

“We have proposed convening the APC for a solution to the ongoing political crisis,” JI Secretary General Liaquat Baloch told Dawn here on Monday.

He said all parties with a representation in parliament should sit together to find a solution to the crisis.

“These parties had met when the protesting parties were holding sit-ins in Islamabad. What stops them from meeting again and discharging their responsibility to steer the country out of crisis?” he asked.

Baloch further said the APC could thoroughly discuss the demands of the PTI like constitution of a judicial commission to probe alleged rigging in the 2013 elections and electoral reforms, and present a solution that could be acceptable to both the government and the PTI.

“While the JI will continue its efforts to avert the crisis, it wants the government to play its role in convening the APC,” he said, adding the crisis could be ended if there was political will.

Earlier, JI chief Sirajul Haq played a mediator’s role between the government and the PTI. However, he remained unsuccessful as both the government and PTI refused to budge from their stances. Much hope was pinned on the opposition parties’ ‘political jirga’, but it also failed to broker a deal between the PML-N government and the PTI.

Published in Dawn, November 25th , 2014