ISLAMABAD - Ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) leadership is perturbed over the proposal given by Political Jirga to break the deadlock in the negotiations and resolve the political crisis facing the country due to the sit-ins of Pakistan Awami Tehreek and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf continuing for well over a month.
A source in the ruling party informed The Nation that Prime Minister Mohammad Nawaz Sharif had expressed his displeasure and concern over the 11-point proposal given by Political Jirga to resolve the issue, especially the demand of pronouncement of decision of dissolution of assemblies by the prime minister on floor of the National Assembly on proving the charges of rigging, which had virtually rang alarm bells in the top echelons of the ruling party.
The prime minister’s concluding speech to the joint sitting of the parliament, wherein he was categorical in his stance that the government would not bow out under a pressure from a bunch of protesters at Constitution Avenue, was actually in reaction to the proposal of the Jirga.
Another source in the ruling party confirming the concern over the development said that Prime Minister Sharif had asked couple of his close aides to convey his concern to the Jirga members, which was conveyed to Jirga members through a couple of members of Political Jirga considered close to the government.
It was in this backdrop that Political Jirga has halted its activities and would likely proceed further after having another meeting of its members in the next couple of days to review this new development.
The party leaders aware of the developments informed The Nation that the government considered the move on part of Political Jirga as overstepping from the mandate given to it because the Political Jirga was just mandated to bring back the estranged parties back on negotiation table and there was no extra role, whatsoever, assigned to it.
A member of the Political Jirga, who preferred not to be named, agreed to the point that their mandate was just to break the deadlock in negotiations and it was not in their mandate to suggest any solution to the imbroglio. He, however, said that the proposal was given with good intention and the 11-point proposal is not binding and is just suggestive in nature.
Sources in ruling PML-N said that Prime Minister Sharif in a meeting with close aides termed it a serious move which could have negative implications for the government and asked that the message should be given to the Jirga members to stay within their mandate and avoid exceeding its limits.
Sources in the government said that PML-N leadership feared that in case of failure of talks with the protesting PTI and PAT leadership the Political Jirga might come up with its reflection on the whole exercise of parleys and the reasons and party behind the failure of the talks.
Sources in the government further said that there was also proposal that the government should directly restore the negotiations with the protesting parties bypassing the Political Jirga to avoid some political setback in case of failure of talks with the protesting parties.