Islamabad (National Times) Slamming the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for not seeking negotiations with political parties, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Monday said that Imran Khan-founded party was begging for a “NRO-like deal” from the establishment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c[PTI spokesperson] Raoof Hasan is begging for an NRO from those who they believe wield real powers,\u201d the defence czar said while speaking on the National Assembly floor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
His remarks came in response to Hasan\u2019s interview to Voice of America (VOA), wherein the PTI leader “hoped and prayed” that the deadlock between the military and his party does not continue any longer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn the interest of the state, it is imperative that PTI and the establishment engage in dialogue,\u201d he said, adding that the party had not left any stone unturned to \u201cend this stalemate\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The former ruling party has long maintained stance that it will only hold talks with the powers that be instead of the political parties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Today, Asif said that Imran Khan \u201conly wanted\u201d to negotiate with the establishment and seeking the NRO, clarifying that the government has no objection to PTI\u2019s desire to hold dialogue with the establishment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Over 12 years ago, on October 5, 2007, the-then President and Army Chief, General Pervez Musharraf, had promulgated the National Reconciliation Ordinance, which had granted amnesty to politicians, political workers and bureaucrats who were accused of corruption, money laundering, murders and terrorism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, the minister asked Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) Chairman Mehmood Khan Achakzai \u2014 who had been tasked by PTI founder in this regard \u2014 will he hold negotiations with the establishment?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey [PTI] say Achakzai heads the opposition alliance [Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Ain-e-Pakistan] and he will negotiate,\u201d he said, asking them to decide with whom they want to be engaged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reminding the PTI that their past benefactor are no more in power, the defence minister said: \u201cThis is a new system with a new leadership.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The defence minister said the embattled party is looking towards establishment for relief and reiterating negotiations with the Imran Khan-founded party cannot take place until they apologised for the May 9 mayhem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The May 9 incidents refer to the violent protests that broke out in many parts of the country following the arrest of Khan in a corruption case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The violent protests saw attacks on state properties including military installations, with the civil and military authorities vowing to try the rioters under the Army Act.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Earlier in the day, Asif \u2014 while speaking during Geo News programme ‘Naya Pakistan’ \u2014 rejected media reports that PML-N President Nawaz Sharif directed his party to hold talks with all political parties including the PTI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We concentrated on two topics only during the meeting, one on holding local bodies elections in Punjab and the other on bringing down electricity prices,” he said of the party meeting that took place a day earlier.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Islamabad (National Times) Slamming the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for not seeking negotiations with political parties, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Monday said that Imran Khan-founded party was begging for a “NRO-like deal” from the establishment. \u201c[PTI spokesperson] Raoof Hasan is begging for an NRO from those who they believe wield real powers,\u201d the defence czar […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":88985,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-88984","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-national","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n