Sources inside PML-N informed that PTI leadership was uncomfortable with the decision as they knew that it would be difficult to pull out a huge crowd in presence of government’s resistance while staging a long sit-in would also be a difficult task due to multiple factors including hot weather, scarcity of resources and lack of backing by powerful circles.
They claimed that the PTI leadership contacted PML-N and pursued to cut a deal for an announcement of early elections in the country even on the ‘desired date’ of the government.
Sources told that PTI wanted to get a face saving by getting elections date as a face saving because it was becoming harder for the party to maintain the momentum of their campaign against the government by each passing day. Though, the PML-N circles were claiming from last couple of days that the announcement of PTI regarding long march on Islamabad and a possible sit in was a miscalculation, which leaves unrest among their party ranks.
However, yesterday, the top leadership of the PML-N came forward and publicly claimed that the second tier leadership of PTI had approached their party as they wanted a safe exit or a face saving.
The vice president of PML-N and a face of the party, Maryam Nawaz Sharif herself claimed in a press conference that former Speaker National Assembly Asad Qasir approached Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and sought his help to open a backdoor channel for talks in prevailing situation.
Maryam Nawaz said after understanding that PTI have been failed to get expected response from the masses on their call for the long march, they approached the government for ‘give and take.’
She however revealed that the former premier Nawaz Sharif when asked for advice had categorically barred the party from any kind of backdrop engagements with PTI as he was of the view that we should not allow Imran Khan to blackmail the government by announcing a long march or the sit in.
Later, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq while talking to a private TV channel also shared the details of the backdoor communications with PTI and claimed that his meeting was held with senior leaders of PTI Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Asad Umar and Pervez Khattak but the meeting was happened on their (PTI leaders) request.
He said we didn’t go to them but the PTI leaders came to us where we made one thing quite clear to them that they cannot take a NRO from us by pointing gun on our heads.
Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said further we are political people and we believe in negotiations and talks but PTI’s past track record is not quite good in this regard.
“I have seen irresponsible statements of Shah Mahmood Qureshi in which he is refuting their backdrop talks with us but I have the documentary evidence of their requests”, Sardar Ayaz claimed.
Earlier, Chairman PTI Imran Khan took twitter to refute the reports about any deal with the government.
“Rumours and deliberate disinformation that a deal has been done. Absolutely not! We are moving towards Islamabad & no question of any deal. We will remain in Islamabad till announcement of dates for dissolution of assemblies and elections are given. Calling all people of Islamabad and Rawalpindi to join”, he wrote on twitter.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court while directing the government to allow PTI for a public gathering in Islamabad also directed to engage the opposition. However, sources inside the administration informed that this meeting between government and the opposition likely to be held at Chief Commissioner office would be of administrative nature not the political one.
Also, a meeting between the representatives of the government and Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf at Chief Commissioner Office, Islamabad could not be held on Wednesday.
Earlier, Supreme Court of Pakistan while ordering PTI to hold its public gathering in the right of way of the Srinagar Highway had ordered both the parties to sit together and work out modalities for said Jalsa .
However, this meeting couldn’t be arranged as when PTI’s delegation comprising upon Dr. Baber Awan and Fasil Chaudhary reached to the Chief Commissioner office, there was nobody present from the government side for talks.
Dr. Baber Awan while talking to media has said it is unfortunate that we reached here but nobody from the government is available for talks. He said we came here while following the court orders and we will submit our report there tomorrow.
Meanwhile, after an hour, a delegation representing government side led by Sardar Ayaz Sadiq reached the Chief Commissioner office and while talking to media said we were on the way but due to traffic jams couldn’t reached on time .
He argued that we were in touch with Chief Commissioner Islamabad and informed him about our location and accused that the PTI deliberately avoided the interaction.
When contacted, a senior level officer of the district administration said we were just facilitators to bring both sides on table but apparently both were uninterested in talks and avoided the meeting.