Invitation for dialogue

PTI yet to respond to government invitation

The invitation by the government to the Pakistan Tehrik Insaf to talks meant to strengthen and take forward the Charter of Democracy was probably not meant to be taken seriously, but PM’s Political Affairs Adviser Rana Sanaullah managed to sneak in an attack on PTI founder Imran Khan’s sincerity in holding talks. Considering PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan’s saying that a Release Imran Force could not be formed, the party seems to have got into a cul de sac. Its inability to get Mr Khan released, or indeed its demands met over his eye disease, have clearly driven KP CM Sohail Afridi to head the advice of hotheads, but as Mr Gohar Ali Khan said, any use of the word ‘force’ would lead to a confrontation with the very forces that the PTI was trying to get on its side.

If that is the case, the PTI seems left with no choice but to talk to the government. The PTI claims that it is merely the product of rigging, and that it would only talk with the ‘power behind the throne.’ The establishment has indicated often enough that the PTI should talk to the government. The PTI has tried its best to avoid this, but has not apparently got much benefit from this strategy. The latest occasion, not yet entirely over, has been the eye ailment of Mr Khan, with the PTI insisting that the very examination had been botched, met alone the treatment. However, talks would provide an opportunity for the opposition to raise governance issues, like the issue of participation in the Gaza Peace Board. The specific mention of the Charter of Democracy, which was between the PML(N) and PPP, should be seen as a reference to the role of the establishment, which the Charter precluded, and which all parties accuse each other, of using support from, to scramble to office.

Rana Sana pinpointed the main difficulty to meaningful talks. The PTI looks to Mr Khan, and he seems in no mood to talk. Somehow, the PTI base has developed the view that talking is somehow treachery. True, talking has been something traditional politicians do, and part of Mr Khan’s appeal is that he is not a traditional politician. Still, the sooner the PTI realizes that dialogue is its job as a political party, and not a sign of weakness, the better.