PM Shehbaz’s dialogue offer remains open for PTI

ISLAMABAD: Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry has urged Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to engage in dialogue with the government, saying Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s invitation for talks remains on the table.

Speaking in the Senate, Chaudhry said the government was ready to hold discussions with the opposition if PTI was serious about negotiations.

He said opposition leaders could meet the prime minister or raise the matter in parliament. He also suggested that the opposition leader in the Senate could hold discussions with PML-N Senator Rana Sanaullah.

Later, Chaudhry, Sanaullah and Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar met Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas and National Assembly Opposition Leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai at Parliament House.

Sanaullah said the meeting was linked to a letter written by Achakzai to Prime Minister Shehbaz. He said the government representatives had met the opposition leaders to discuss the prime minister’s response.

The government and PTI have remained politically divided since the 2024 general elections. Disputes between the two sides have included demands for investigations into political protests, as well as issues concerning PTI founder Imran Khan’s health and continued detention.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has also agreed to intensify political contacts with opposition parties.

A senior PPP delegation is scheduled to meet Achakzai and Allama Nasir Abbas at the Opposition Leader’s Chamber in Parliament House on Tuesday.

The meeting is expected to focus on parliamentary affairs and strengthening political engagement between the government-aligned PPP and opposition leadership.

PPP leaders Sherry Rehman, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Saleem Mandviwalla and Naveed Qamar are expected to attend.

Naveed Qamar said the talks would focus on strengthening parliament, improving coordination and reinforcing the role of parliamentary committees.