Ruling coalition faces turbulence as cracks surface over talks with PTI

Islamabad:  The differences emerged in the ruling partners as the Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) opposed dialogue with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the sources privy to the development revealed on Tuesday.

The sources said that the JUI-F was not ready to hold talks with the PTI, saying that “the PTI is not a political force and Imran Khan is not a politician,”.

“We are not in the favor of talks,” the JUI-F leader was quoted as saying by the sources. They said that Zain Bugti also opposed dialogue with Imran Khan.

He said they did not want talks with Imran Khan and termed him a dishonest person and not trustworthy.

The differences are a major development amid the soaring political temperature.

The meeting of the coalition government for deliberation on the talks with the PTI is a major political success of Imran Khan in the given political circumstances.

The inside differences of the allied parties in the government at the Prime Minister House came to the limelight for the first time since they took the charge after ouster of Imran Khan.

As the cabinet started its proceedings, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed gratitude for all the parties partner in the government. He also tried to convince every cabinet member by making a ground in a bid to keep all of them united, “the differences take place and sometime we accept the others’ point of view and sometime they accept ours’. So we go this way. But I’m grateful to all of you,”.

Before deliberating on the talks with the PTI, the prime minister emphasized upon the unity and the preface of his speech was telecast live on TVs.

According to the sources, during the meeting of the coalition partners, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari insisted on negotiations with the opposition on the issue, and his stance on negotiations with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Balochistan National Party (BNP), and Khalid Maqsood was endorsed.

The sources said that Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Mohsin Dawar also supported Bilawal Bhutto's position. However, in the alliance meeting of government allies, the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) opposed Bilawal Bhutto's position on negotiations.

They said, during this time, Bilawal Bhutto said that closing the doors of dialogue is against their principles, and closing the doors of dialogue was undemocratic and non-political as well.

“This is the time when we need to choose the path of dialogue to pull the country out of crisis,” said Bilawal while sharing his views on the talks option.

The sources said that after disagreements over talks with the opposition, the government coalition's meeting ended without any consensus.