‘Should be held accountable for militant actions’: PM says resounding no to negotiations with PTI

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has refused to negotiate with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) after Imran Khan constituted a committee to hold dialogue with the government. The PM, in a tweet referred to the events of May 9, stating that ‘anarchists and arsonists’ who attack state symbols do not qualify for dialogue.

“Dialogue is deeply embedded in the political process, which helps democracy mature & evolve. Many political & constitutional breakthroughs occurred when political leaders sat across the table to craft a consensus,” he tweeted.
“However, there is a major difference here, the anarchists & arsonists who wear the garb of politicians and attack the symbols of the State do not qualify for a dialogue. They should rather be held to account for their militant actions. This is the prevalent practice even in developed democracies,” the tweet added.

Dialogue is deeply embedded in the political process, which helps democracy mature & evolve. Many political & constitutional breakthroughs occured when political leaders sat across the table to craft a consensus.

However, there is a major difference here, the anarchists &…

— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) May 30, 2023

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on Sunday, while talking about the possibility of negotiating with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), said that negotiations with Imran Khan can be held if he took “corrective measures: apologises to the nation, admits his mistake and promises not to do anything like May 9 in the future.”

Imran Khan on May 27 constituted a seven-member negotiation committee for talks with the incumbent government over elections.