PESHAWAR: Jamaat-i-Islami chief Sirajul Haq has said that Pakistan Tehreek Insaf chairman Imran Khan was willing to discuss a formula, presented by him and Qamar Zaman Kaira to him for resolving the current crisis, in the core committee meeting of his party before leading the protesters to Prime Minister’s House on Saturday night.

“We don’t know why Imran Khan suddenly changed his mind and decided to shift the sit-in from D-Square to the Prime Minister’s House which triggered violence,” he told a press conference at JI provincial headquarters here on Sunday.

He said that Imran had promised him and PPP leader Qamar Zaman Kaira that their proposal would be discussed in his party’s core committee meeting.

Says he doesn’t know why PTI chief suddenly changed his mind

“People were coming back and forth from Rawalpindi and our proposals were pressed down,” the JI chief said. He said that rival parties did not show flexibility. They were responsible for the political turmoil, he added.

Giving details of the meeting with Imran Khan, he said that they had suggested to him that political parties in the National Assembly would sign an agreement under which Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif would tender resignation if the proposed judicial commission proved rigging in the last general elections.

After meeting with Imran Khan, he said, situation changed suddenly and protesters started moving towards the Prime Minister’s House.

Mr Siraj said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif should take initiative and get in touch with Imran Khan and Pakistan Awami Tehreek chief Tahirul Qadri to end the crises. Time was running out and Nawaz Sharif, without delay, should address those points on which both sides had agreed, he added.

The JI chief also urged Imran and Qadri to show political sagacity and hold talks with the government in the larger interest of the country.

He said that JI had called consultative meeting of political parties in Islamabad on Monday. He said that all mainstream political parties except Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, PTI and PAT and their allies, had been invited to the meeting.

Commenting on the corps commanders meeting in Rawalpindi, he said that the country was faced with internal and external crises therefore army should not indulge itself in politics.

He asked army to take steps for strengthening constitution and democracy.

“There is no justification to abrogate the constitution and wrap up democratic system after two weeks long sit-in in Islamabad,” Mr Siraj said, adding that military had already stretched due to security problems. He said that some people were inviting army to declare martial law and commanders should ignore such voices.

The JI chief condemned police action against protesters in Islamabad and urged government to show restrain. He said that JI could not see bloodshed and brutal action of police in Islamabad that was why he held consultation with leaders of political parties to pull the country out of crises.

Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2014