LAHORE: “Whom should we (the PTI) talk to, if the real power in the country is not ready for a dialogue,” wonders former president Arif Ali here on Tuesday, adding that the party will only talk to the “owner of the house.”

Speaking to the media at the residence of Habib Syed Irfani, head of the PTI’s Ulema Wing, the ex-president elaborated: “If one wants to rent a house, he has to talk to the owner, not the gardener or the guard. However, if the guard has decided to be the owner, he can say so and we (the PTI) can talk.”

Expressing his disappointment with the process of accountability, Mr Alvi said: “The entire system does not believe in the process. From Ayub (khan) to current setup, accountability has not been a national priority. I have lost hope for it.”

He said the “regime change” operation has robbed people of their confidence in the country and its system. “If Pakistani investors are fleeing the country, how can foreigners come here to invest? However, if anyone still wants to invest here, we must welcome them.

“I have been trying for talks (between the PTI and establishment) for the last two years, but the effort has led nowhere. But I’m still trying,” he said.

Answering a question about any chances of success [with regard to the dialogue] in future, the former president said, “If there were no chances of success, I could have stopped trying long ago. However, currently, the dialogues are [going on] through media, not any former channels.

Talking about high court’s decision on cypher case, Alvi insisted on its fairness.

“It was a made-up case, which had to end like this. I have always maintained that the prime minster has the right to reveal its [cypher’s] content if he considers necessary. It [case] never had any criminal content and the court has only affirmed it. The former president also thanked Norway and Spain for recognising the State of Palestine, calling it a fair and necessary step.

Published in Dawn, June 5th, 2024