ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah on Monday criticised the PTI for seeking dialogue with the establishment instead of talking with politicians, suggesting the party only wanted to “destabilise the country with protests”.
His statement came as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, a day prior, called on state institutions to engage in dialogue with the PTI but demanded that they hold themselves accountable. Gandapur and the PTI’s top leadership were on a visit to Lahore to formally launch a movement to seek the release of party founder Imran Khan and devise a strategy for its nationwide protest, which will reach its crescendo on August 5 — marking two years since the ex-premier was imprisoned .
Since Imran’s incarceration in several cases, which he claims are politically motivated, his party’s relationship with the government and the establishment has turned sour . The PTI has held several protests over the last year, most of which escalated into violence after facing state repression.
Sanaullah said that Gandapur’s words made it clear that the PTI wanted to “destabilise the country, right after Marka-i-Haq” (referring to the recent Pakistan-India escalation) and the government’s “success in economic revival, which lent Pakistan an opportunity for stability”.
“Besides this, it is unknown what other agenda they have,” he added.
Referring to the planned 90-day and August 5 protests, Sanaullah said, “If they remain peaceful, then it’s fine (…) it is their democratic right. But if they take the law into their own hands and attempt to destabilise the country (…) then the law will take its due course.”
He added that this destabilisation “has been their (PTI’s) agenda from the beginning”, referring to the party demonstrating outside the International Monetary Fund (IMF) offices against their granting of an emergency loan to Pakistan.
He dismissed the notion that the government, despite being relatively stable now, would consider being more generous in negotiations for Imran’s release, saying that “it had nothing to do with generosity and that the case was proceeding according to the rules of the court.”
He pointed out how it was the PTI’s own stance in previous negotiations that Imran’s release would not be discussed, as the PTI founder himself expressed the desire to be acquitted on his own merit.
According to Sanaullah, the government was ready to hold talks with the PTI on other issues, but he said that according to the party’s recent calls for negotiations, it “does not want dialogue with the government, but with the establishment”.
“They are not willing to sit down with either political parties or politicians to solve issues,” he said. “They are still stuck on their own agenda, seeking the establishment’s help to put them back into power. They are not ready for political dialogue.”
Asked what counter-demands the government might hold in negotiations, he said, “We have only one wish, one effort, one fight: the revival of Pakistan’s economy and its success, such that every citizen’s wellbeing is ensured and it is included on the map of the world as a welfare state.”
Sanaullah added that the government was ready to sit with the PTI and other parties for talks to ensure the stability required for this effort if they were willing to cooperate.
“It is in everybody’s mutual interest, the opposition and government’s, and everybody should agree on a ‘charter of economy’ on certain basic matters,” he said. “We are ready for any understanding or agreement in this regard.”
The previous day, on Geo News’ programme “Naya Pakistan”, Sanaullah had questioned the PTI’s intention of holding negotiations alongside heavy protesting, saying, “If they want to talk, then what is the need for the 90 days, the August 5 [protests] and the march towards Lahore?”
However, he stated that the PTI would be granted legal permission to protest by the local administration if they remained peaceful.
“If they move towards violence, the law will take its course,” he added.
