‘Political breakthrough possible through confidence-building measures among country’s top five figures’

Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah has said that political breakthrough in the country was possible through confidence-building measures and initiating contacts among five top figures of the country.

“Confidence-building measures should be made and contact should be established among the five bigwigs of the country. Two are my leaders Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Mian Nawaz Sharif, third is President Asif Ali Zardari, fourth Imran Khan and fifth I believe that everybody knows [who he is],” Sanaullah said while speaking to the host of Geo News programme ‘Capital Talk’ on Thursday.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senator also demanded from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to halt the smear campaign against armed forces and military leadership.

“If they have to abuse then they should do that against politicians,” he stressed.

READ MORE: PTI urges govt to clarify rumours about Imran Khan’s well-being

PTI National Assembly Chief Whip Malik Aamir Dogar, speaking on the same TV programme, said the authorities should let Opposition Leader in Senate Raja Nasir Abbas and Opposition Leader in National Assembly Mahmood Khan Achakzai, who are allies in Tehreek-e-Tahafuz e Ayen e Pakistan and do not belong to the PTI, meet Imran. After that, he prays a way out is found, he said.

“And if the five personalities that you talked about meet then the conflict will definitely end,” Dogar added.

To a query, he said he believed that politics should be kept to political opponents only.

The development comes amid deadlock between the PTI and rulers as the former faces tons of cases, which it blames are politically motivated.

Scores of leaders of the embattled PTI have been facing multiple cases for their alleged involvement in the violent protests that erupted countrywide on May 9, 2023 following arrest of PTI founding chairman Imran in a corruption case.

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Imran, who has been in prison since 2023 facing charges of corruption, land fraud and disclosure of official secrets, is also being tried separately on similar charges related to the riots.

The government accused him and other PTI leaders of inciting the May 9, 2023, protests, during which demonstrators attacked military and government buildings, including the army headquarters in Rawalpindi and Jinnah House Lahore.

The former prime minister denies wrongdoing and says all the cases are politically motivated to dismantle his party.