LAHORE: Federal Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique has said that the government is not going to hold talks with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
The government had created an environment for holding talks with PTI but Imran Khan failed the negotiations.
While talking to journalists during his visit to Jinnah House (Corps Commander House) here on Sunday he said: “When the schedule of the meeting was finalised with PTI, Imran Khan asked to shut the doors for talks. We created the environment for negotiations but he failed it.”
When asked, Khawaja Saad Rafique said that Imran Khan formed a dialogue committee but who would hold talks as the government is not going to hold any negotiations with them.
Condemning on the May 9 riots, Rafique said that the PTI chief misguided the youth of the nation.
PTI miscreants torched Jinnah House which possesses historical importance in many aspects. They torched everything including those which belongs to Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
He said the May 9 incidents were organized attacks. Armed forces are safeguarding our borders and no any nation in the world would humiliate its military troops. Corps Commander House Lahore was attacked from three sides, he added.
He said Imran Khan should seek pardon from the whole nation and armed forces over the May 9 incidents.
He clarified that the government would not increase a single day in its tenure and general elections will be held at its prescribed time.
Khawaja Saad Rafique, while lambasting those involved in the vandalism of the Jinnah House in Lahore, said the rioters and their approach was shameless.
He alleged that the PTI leadership and ticket holders were involved in the arson despite knowing about the sanctity of the installation. This fire had not erupted because of petrol or matchbox, but by use of chemicals.
The railways minister also claimed that Imran poisoned the minds of the youth and sowed the seeds of hatred in their minds for years.
He termed the protests of May 9, which erupted following the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, as a disheartening event.
The PML-N leader lamented damages to valuable things preserved at Jinnah House including Quaid-e-Azam’s room, his writing table, and handwritten notes.
It may be mentioned here that previous day on the instruction of party chairman Imran Khan, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) a seven-member negotiation committee was formed for talks with the incumbent government over elections.
Taking to Twitter, the PTI said that the seven-member committee – which will be headed by Shah Mehmood Qureshi – will decide the plan of action with the government regarding the elections.
The committee comprises party vice chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Pervez Khattak, Asad Qaiser, Hammad Azhar, Haleem Adil Sheikh, Murad Saeed and Aon Abbas Buppi.
The development came after Pakistan Terheek-e-Insaf (PTI) suffered major blows as prominent leaders – Fawad Chaudhry, Shireen Mazari and Maleeka Bokhari – announced to quit the party.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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