Islamabad:
Confrontation between Pakistan government and the opposition escalated today with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif rejecting demands for his resignation and Imran Khan calling off the dialogue with his regime until he quits.
Addressing the Parliament for the first time on the ongoing political crisis, Sharif brushed aside the demand for his resignation saying the country has survived “difficult times” and the current political crisis too shall pass.
“We are not going to be diverted by these things. The journey for the supremacy of Constitution and law in Pakistan will continue with full determination and God willing there will not be any interruption in it,” Sharif said.
On the other side, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Khan hardened his stand and called off the dialogue with the government saying that he will not be able to get justice as long as Sharif stays on as Prime Minister.
The hardening of stance came after the failed fifth round of talks even as the Supreme Court ordered the demonstrators to clear the Constitution Avenue by tomorrow.
Political stalemate has continued for the last two weeks with Khan-led PTI and cleric Tahir-ul-Qadri’s Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) refusing to budge from their demand of the Prime Minister’s resignation over allegations of rigging in last year’s general election and killing of 14 PAT supporters in Lahore on June 17.
Today’s developments came a day after Sharif and powerful Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif agreed on the need to “expeditiously” resolve the political deadlock amid fears of instability in the coup-prone country.
The talks between the PTI and the government ended in a stalemate with the sticking point being the protesters’ demand of Prime Minister’s resignation.
“There will be no negotiations with your (Sharif) team now. No resignation, no negotiations,” Khan told a crowd of supporters outside the Parliament.
“Nawaz Sharif is buying time. If we let him stay, he will buy officials and media houses,” Khan said.
“We offered concessions, we agreed for the Prime Minister to resign only for 30 days, but they know what would happen if they allow investigations to proceed,” the cricketer-turned politician said.
“If you pull back, there will be no independent inquiry under Nawaz Sharif,” Khan said. He claimed that the government offered to make him deputy prime minister.
Meanwhile, Qadri’s 48-hour ultimatum to Sharif to step down expired today. Qadri announced the deadline for the government to quit on Monday after talks with the government failed to make any headway.
Even as talks failed, media reports said government has decided to hold direct negotiations with Khan and Qadri.
