Barrister Gohar rules out govt talks ‘for now,’ rejects PTI AJK poll boycott claims

• PTI chairman says negotiations not progressed beyond an offer for dialogue despite Achakzai’s outreach

• Rejects reports of PTI boycott of AJK elections, says party to decide strategy within days

• Rules out replacing KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, says reconciliation efforts under way

 PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan on Wednesday ruled out any ongoing negotiations with the government, saying contacts had not progressed beyond an offer for dialogue, while dismissing reports that the party had decided to boycott the upcoming Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections and reaffirming PTI's commitment to resolving political issues through negotiations.

“Opposition Leader in the National Assembly, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, had shown magnanimity by shaking hands with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and offering talks with the government and now if anyone misconstrued this goodwill gesture as weakness, they are mistaken,” Barrister Gohar declared.

Speaking to reporters on the premises of the Peshawar High Court (PHC), the PTI chairman said it was now the responsibility of those in authority to respond to the party's offer for dialogue.

He also clarified that the party had not made any decision to boycott the upcoming elections in AJK, saying PTI would decide its strategy for the polls within the next couple of days.

The PTI chief termed a notification circulating on social media regarding the party's alleged boycott of the elections as "fake."

Regarding differences within the party in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he said PTI had no intention of replacing Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, adding that he was "not going anywhere."

“No one in the assembly can replace Sohail Afridi,” Gohar added.

The PTI chairman said the party leadership had summoned disgruntled MPAs for a meeting in the coming days and was closely monitoring the political situation in the province.

“Give reconciliation a chance,” he said, adding that if the people of AJK were protesting over their grievances, those protests should remain peaceful.

Referring to a recent decision by the AJK Supreme Court, the PTI chairman lamented that the party's election symbol had been taken away without any justification.

“Losing our election symbol in Haripur, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir created many problems for us,” he added.

Gohar stressed the need for negotiations to resolve all outstanding issues amicably.

“Political issues should have political solutions,” he said. “Finding solutions to problems is the duty of every government and public office holder.”

The PTI chairman also expressed serious reservations over what he described as the lack of facilities for the incarcerated PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan, as well as the denial of meetings with family members and party leaders.

He demanded that meetings with Imran Khan be restored immediately and that the PTI founder be provided medical treatment at a hospital of his family's choice.

Commenting on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's annual budget, Gohar described it as an excellent budget.

“We (PTI) did not want to give a deficit budget; they had no option, as the federal government is not giving the province its due NFC share,” he said.

The PTI chairman also rejected the federal government's move to impose taxes in the erstwhile Fata districts.

“The government should review its decision because these areas are affected by natural disasters and floods,” he said, adding that the people of those areas needed relief.

Rejecting reports of internal divisions, Gohar said the party remained united and that although some lawmakers had reservations on certain matters, everyone accepted the PTI founder's decisions.

He also described former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur as an asset to the party.

GOVT EXTENDED AN OLIVE BRANCH TO THE OPPOSITION

Earlier this month, the government extended an olive branch to the opposition after Mahmood Khan Achakzai threatened to boycott National Assembly proceedings.

“I invited you on behalf of the government to come and sit together with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to consult on national issues,” Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said on the floor of the House while responding to opposition criticism of the government's performance.

Responding to the opposition's demand to allow Imran Khan to meet party leaders, the law minister said the Constitution did not permit a convicted person to head a political party, issue election tickets or actively participate in politics.

However, tensions resurfaced during the National Assembly session held to pass the federal budget, where Opposition Leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai strongly criticised both the government and National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq.

Beginning his speech with criticism of the speaker, Achakzai said: “We will have to change our tone now that your government has completed 2.5 years,” accusing Sadiq of failing to uphold the Constitution and parliamentary norms.

“You did not care about the Constitution and law as you dismissed 14 of your colleagues from the Assembly,” Achakzai said, apparently referring to PTI lawmakers who were disqualified.

He also criticised the government's handling of the recent unrest in AJK and took aim at Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif over remarks made in an earlier speech.

“I did not enjoy the way Shehbaz bhai spoke. He told me that we are here because Pakistan is still here, and I think he was absolutely correct in saying that,” Achakzai said.

He added: “But Pakistan is not some imaginary country that exists in the skies. It means Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Sindh and Punjab. Why don't you see KP as part of Pakistan?”

The opposition leader also accused the government of “clipping the wings” of the judiciary and “trampling the Constitution.”