Government and opposition representatives began negotiations at Parliament House on Friday, with the first round of talks taking place in the Speaker’s Chamber amid ongoing political tensions involving Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi.
The government delegation includes Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Adviser to the Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah, Amir Muqam and Talal Chaudhry.
Pakistan Peoples Party representatives Sherry Rehman, Naveed Qamar and Ejaz Jakhrani are also participating in the talks.
The opposition side is represented by Barrister Gohar, Allama Raja Nasir Abbas and Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar.
The meeting marks the first round of discussions between the government and opposition. The talks are expected to cover broader political and parliamentary matters, while any discussion concerning Sohail Afridi would depend on the issues raised by the participants during the negotiations.
No details of any agreement or decision regarding Afridi’s position have been announced so far.
A day earlier, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held an important meeting at the President’s House to discuss the country’s overall political and security situation, with particular concern expressed over the security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
According to an official statement issued after the meeting, the president and prime minister agreed to form a joint committee to hold talks with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
A joint delegation comprising representatives of the federal government and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) will meet PTI representatives tomorrow to discuss the prevailing political situation.
During the meeting, President Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz agreed to further strengthen the national resolve against terrorism and stressed the need for effective coordination among all relevant institutions to ensure peace and stability.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Mohsin Naqvi, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Rana Sanaullah, Sherry Rehman, Saleem Mandviwalla, Sindh Minister Sharjeel Memon, Nasir Hussain Shah, Attorney General for Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan and Adviser to the Prime Minister Tauqeer Shah also attended the meeting.