PAT wants meaningful talks with govt: Gandapur

ISLAMABAD: A four-member joint delegation of opposition parties and government will meet PAT leaders in a bid to persuade them to end their ongoing Inqalab march.

The delegation comprises of Federal Railway Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique, Abdul Qadir Baloch, Ejaz ul Haq and Haider Abbas Rizvi.

Talking to media after the meeting, Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) central leader Khurram Nawaz Gandapur said that talks would be held with the government in consultation with allied parties.

He said that “We want meaningful talks with the government.” “We are the people who believe in negotiation, but it should be meaningful,” he added.

Eijaz ul Haq expressed the hope that talks will soon be initiated between the two sides. He said that whatever agenda PAT has towards the government, it should be dealt through negotiations while he vowed to try his best to aid in resolving the issue.

Haider Abbas Rizvi also expressed his hopes that the deadlock will end soon and a delegation by the government will meet the PAT leadership shortly.

He appealed the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to order the authorities to provide water to the participants of the march and to let their food container reach them, for the women children and the men all sitting here at the protest sit-in, are thirsty and hungry.

The MQM leader also thanked Khurram Nawaz Gandapur, Raheeq Abbasi, he paid special thanks to Dr Tahir ul Qadri for honoring them to meet.

Rizvi said Dr Qadri has always honored them, adding, “Earlier when we had come to meet the PAT chief, he had taken to the stage, but today he was about to go on stage for addressing the marchers that he saw us and honored us to meet him.

Moreover, he said, “We came here to hold talks on behalf of the entire political leadership and will try our best to bring a delegation of government representatives to further negotiations”.

INP