PM Shehbaz Sharif constitutes committee to deal with PTI’s long march

ISLAMABAD, Oct 29 (SABAH): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Saturday constituted a committee to review, assess, and deal with the situation related to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) long march.

It motif was to hold talks with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) ongoing Haqeeqi Azadi March. Headed by Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, the committee, comprising nine members, will focus on maintaining the law and order situation while also holding a political discourse regarding the PTI march. The premier directed that all talks regarding the long march will be done through the committee.

“Our doors are always open for negotiations. We are democratic people, ready to talk. However, we will not allow anyone to take the law into their hands,” said PM Shehbaz. The committee includes Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders Ayaz Sadiq, Khawaja Saad Rafiq, Marriyun Aurangzeb, Pakistan Peoples Party leader Qamar Zaman Kaira, Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Awami National Party’s Mian Iftikhar and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl leader Maulana Asad Mehmood.

However, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said the government was not serious about negotiations. He claimed that the Imran Khan-led march was still facing government-imposed restrictions.

“On the one hand, PTI workers are being arrested and the Haqeeqi Azadi March’s coverage is being restricted and, on the other hand, there is news of the formation of a frivolous committee,” he said. “These are tricks to only engage the Azadi March, and they won’t work,” Fawad added, demanding a date for the general election.