Dialogue door still open, Khawaja Asif tells PTI

SIALKOT - In the wake of the Pakistan Teh­reek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) planned nation­wide protests, Defence Minister Kha­waja Asif said on Sunday that federal government’s offer for door for talks with the Imran Khan-founded party were still open. “From our side, di­alogue offer to PTI still intact,” said the defence minister during his in­teraction with journalists in Sialkot. Last week, the incarcerated PTI founder called on his supporters to march to Islamabad on November 24.

“Imran Khan says this is the final call for a [anti-government] protest. The PTI founder has stressed that the party’s entire leadership will be part of the march,” said his lawyer Faisal Chaudhry following a meeting in Adi­ala Jail. Khan has been behind bars since August last year after he was sentenced in the Toshakhana case and subsequently sentenced in other cas­es.



Referring to the former ruling par­ty’s recent protest marches towards Islamabad, Asif said that the PTI, un­der the leadership of Khyber Pakh­tunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gan­dapur, “attacked” the federation twice. The PTI held two protest rallies headed by KP firebrand CM in the federal capital in September and Oc­tober amid riots and clashes with the police. Mocking KP CM, the min­ister said: “CM Ali Amin Gandapur ran away and left protesting work­ers abandoned [in Islamabad].

In October march, the Gandapur went missing after entering the KP House in the federal capital. After a mysterious day-long disappearance, he resurfaced in the KP Assembly and addressed the lawmakers. His whereabouts remained unknown for over 30 hours after PTI tried to stage a protest in Islamabad.

Responding to a question, the min­ister said that the PTI leadership should bring their children to the protests if it was a matter of “do or die.” “PTI founder only wants dia­logue with the establishment,” said the defence minister, claiming that the leaders within the PTI were per­forming the role of “double agent”. Earlier, Khawaja Asif visited Gurd­wara Babe Di Ber Sahib on Sun­day and greeted the Sikh yatrees on the birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak.

A large number of Sikh pil­grims are coming from inside the country and abroad to participate in the 555th birth anniversary cel­ebrations of Baba Guru Nanak. The minister said Sikh pilgrims had been provided a peaceful environment to perform their rituals across the country. He said all minorities in Pa­kistan enjoyed full freedom to per­form their religious obligations.

.