LAHORE   -  A govt team comprising a federal and a provincial minister had another round of talks with estranged members of the Jahangir Khan Tareen group on Wednesday to woo them back ahead of the no-trust motion likely to be put to vote in a week’s time.

Federal Defense Minister Pervez Khattak and Punjab Minister for School Education Murad Raas talked to Abdul Haye Dasti and Nauman Langrial of the JKT group and held out assurances about acceptance of their demands. The ministers also tried to convince them to abandon their demand for removal of Usman Buzdar, but the JKT members stood firm on their stance according to a source privy to the meeting.

While Murad Raas met the party dissidents in person, Pervez Khattack talked to them on telephone during the meeting. This was the second meeting between two the two sides in the last two days.

Insiders said that the ministers gave assurances regarding immediate release of funds for the development schemes identified by the JKT members. Their complaints regarding police and bureaucracy also came under discussion during the meeting. They also apprised Pervez Khattak of their grievances against the federal departments. Sources said that yet another meeting between the government team and the JKT group is expected to take place in the next 48 hours to thrash out the issues.

Also, the JKT group is in contact with leaders of the PML-N and the PML-Q to strike a favorable deal in the changing political scenario. Hamza Shehbaz went to Model Town residence of Jahangir Tareen last week and held discussion with the PTI’s dissident group to seek its cooperation for a possible change in Punjab. Senior PML-Q leader Moonis Elahi also talked to Awn Chaudhry last week to explore the possibility of cooperation for a political change both in the center and in Punjab.