ISLAMABAD -  The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz has decided to engage the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) to evolve a pragmatic working relationship between the government and the main opposition party in the parliament.

Sources in PML-N confirmed to The Nation that the government has conveyed to the PPP leadership that they were prepared to talk on the four demands put forth by the PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and expressed the willingness to accept the demands except for the PPP bill on the Panama Leaks issue since the matter was already sub judice.

Bilawal had given an ultimatum to the government to accept their demands till December 27, otherwise, the party would be on roads against the government.

The sources in the government said that in the face of mounting pressure on the government in the wake of the Panama Papers case in the apex court, the prime minister in a consultation with his close aides has decided to engage the PPP leadership in negotiations so that they could be kept away from street agitation.

Some of the senior ruling party parliamentarians believed that in case the PPP comes on the street against the government, while other opposition parties were already in agitation, things would degenerate for the government and could slip out of their hands. They said that the recent ultimatum from the PPP chairman that in case of non-acceptance of their demands the PPP would launch ‘go Nawaz go’ movement has virtually shaken the ruling PML-N as the party was already under tremendous pressure due to the Panama Leaks case.

The sources in the ruling party claimed that the initial contacts with the PPP leadership have already been made and modalities for formal negotiations would be finalised in coming days.

These sources said that it was after a positive response from the PPP leadership that Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, a couple of days back, had hinted to acceptance of some of the PPP demands.

A senior PML-N parliamentarian, who is also a federal cabinet member, said that except for the PPP demand of the Panama Leaks bill, which the government could not accept right now on technical grounds, the government has no problem accepting the rest of the demands.

Bilawal had demanded of the government to reconstitute a Parliamentary Committee on National Security comprising members of both the houses, acceptance of the Panama Leaks probe bill tabled in the Upper House by the joint opposition parties, implementation of the all-party conference resolution on the CPEC and appointment of a full-time foreign minister.

The sources said that on the PPP’s demand of accepting the Panama Leaks probe bill, the government has taken the plea that since the matter was sub judice and till its adjudication the government would not be in a position to go ahead with the piece of legislation.