• Hassan Murtaza assails PML-N for not addressing party’s concerns over power-sharing
• Naveed Qamar says it remains to be seen how Imran’s input will be incorporated into govt discussions with PTI

KARACHI: Two key leaders of the PPP — one of the federal government’s key allies — have voiced concerns with the way both the PML-N and PTI have been approaching ongoing negotiations, and ignoring their concerns over power-sharing, especially in Punjab, Dawn.com reported.

In separate interviews with DawnNewsTV, PPP MNA Syed Naveed Qamar and Punjab leader Hassan Murtaza voiced discontentment with the ruling party over policy-making issues, with the latter saying that if the PML-N did not change its ways, “it could jeopardise the alliance”.

“If the PML-N continues along this path, then this alliance will not survive. I do not believe the PML-N will change, because they gave a lot of space to the opposition. They think that if they give space to the PPP, they will be left with nothing,” Mr Murtaza added.

He added that this final option would be taken after the Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting.

Speaking about the party’s reservations regarding Punjab, Mr Murtaza said that the party is “loyal to the PML-N, not [Punjab Chief Minister] Maryam Nawaz”.

“The PPP’s stance is to be taken onboard any policy-making process. We want a good environment for democracy and politics.”

Asked about which decisions the PPP should have been given a stake in, Mr Murtaza responded that decisions made regarding agriculture “were against PPP policy”.

“They talk about political stakeholders and power-sharing but they will appoint police and local government officials loyal to them,” he added. “Why would we want to be a part of this? This is not how we govern.”

Govt-PTI talks

Separately, commenting on the ongoing dialogue between the government and PTI, PPP leader Naveed Qamar said on Sunday that the approval of political parties’ top leadership is always required for negotiations and it remains to be seen how views of PTI founder Imran Khan will be incorporated into the ongoing talks between the PTI and the government.

His comments came a day after PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah suggested that if the leadership of all three major political parties — PTI, PML-N and PPP — sat together for negotiations, the crisis that the country has been embroiled in for the last 70 years could be solved within 70 days.

The first meeting for negotiations between the government and PTI committees was held on Monday, marking the start of long-awaited talks to ease political tensions.

Speaking to DawnNewsTV, Mr Qamar said that at some point, the top leadership has to approve of the developments in the negotiations, “so their input is always there”.

Responding to a question as to how the government will get a response from the PTI founder who is incarcerated in Adiala Jail, the PPP leader said it would need to be seen how the government would accommodate Imran’s opinions.

Mr Qamar refuted PTI’s claims that the government and the party were in talks regarding Imran being moved from Adiala to house arrest. “No such thing was revealed to us. You can hear all kinds of things from the PTI,” he remarked.

Since Mr Khan’s incarceration last year based on several cases, his party’s relationship with the government as well as with the establishment has turned exceedingly sour.

The PTI has held several protests over the last year, most of which escalated into violence after facing state repression.

After PTI’s power show and claims of supporter deaths, tensions rose, leading to calls to ban the party. However, Imran formed a committee for talks, and his lawmakers softened their stance.

Following a recommendation from NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also formed a committee. The next round of talks between the two sides is scheduled to be held on Jan 2.

Published in Dawn, December 30th, 2024