Neither govt, nor opposition requested to convene negotiating committee meeting: Ayaz Sadiq

National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq said Saturday that neither the opposition nor the government had approached him for a third round of talks which he could convene on a couple of days’ notice.

He further said that he was not responsible for facilitating the meeting between the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) committee and former prime minister Imran Khan and that this onus fell on the government.

“I told Asad Qaiser on January 4 that their demand to meet the PTI founder has been communicated to the government. The PTI leaders can contact Rana Sanaullah and other government officials directly as well in this regard,” said the NA speaker.

‘‘The government and its allies are to decide on the issue of the meeting between the PTI and Imran Khan,’’ he said.

He added that PTI leaders could also engage in direct discussions with Rana Sanaullah or senior government officials if necessary.

Last month, the speaker extended an invitation to both the government and opposition to engage in talks in good faith, assuring that the Speaker’s office remains open to all members.

According to a statement from the NA Secretariat, the speaker stated that he would personally meet them in his chambers at the Parliament House to facilitate the discussions.

PTI’s two main demands include the release of party’s workers and a judicial probe into the May 9 and November 26 incidents.

In December, Imran’s sister Aleema Khan, while quoting her brother, said he would call overseas Pakistanis to halt remittances if the government failed to fulfil his two demands related to the release of his party’s workers and a judicial probe into May 9 and November 26 incidents.

“If the government fails to fulfil our two demands, then he will make a call to overseas Pakistanis to stop sending remittances to the country,” she said, quoting Imran.