Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah has said that the military leadership and federal government have decided that sit-ins and long marches will be held outside Islamabad.
Speaking on a private news channel, Sanaullah said that the PTI can hold protests in Peshawar, Mardan or any other city if it wants to raise demands. He stated that protests over political matters can also be held in Karachi or Lahore, but long marches will remain away from Islamabad.
Sanaullah also said that the PTI will have to use political means instead of violent protests. He said that the decision to keep sit-ins and long marches outside Islamabad had been taken by the military leadership and the federal government.
On the ongoing talks between the government and opposition, Sanaullah said “Establishment has no direct involvement in the negotiations.”
He stated that the president and prime minister had sent the government delegation for negotiations and the establishment will have been taken on board.
Sanaullah also criticised the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government for not holding regular meetings of the Apex Committee, where policy-related consultations take place.
“Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa does not attend meetings and should discuss his point of view with the federal government.”
Sanaullah added that the opposition had been asked not to proceed with the long march.
Regarding the possibility of governor’s rule or an emergency in KP, Sanaullah stated that both options are available to the federal government if circumstances require such action.
He said that if security in a province is at stake and the provincial government does not cooperate, the federal government will have no option other than taking such steps. However, he described governor’s rule or an emergency as an undesirable course of action and said that they will only be considered if circumstances become unavoidable.
Meanwhile, government and opposition delegations met in the speaker’s chamber on Friday to resolve political matters through dialogue. The two sides could not reach an agreement on the first day and agreed to continue the talks on Saturday.
