ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The federal government has ruled out the resumption of dialogue process with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), indicating that political crises are going to be further worsened in the country.
On Sunday night, the PTI Chairman Imran Khan announced while talking to a massive public gathering in Islamabad that his party would shut down Lahore on December 4, Faisalabad on December 8, Karachi on December 12 and would shut down the entire country on December 16.
Imran Khan said the now the government has to decide about resumption of talks about initiating an investigation by a judicial commission under the Supreme Court into alleged 2013 election rigging.
In a statement, the federal information minister Pervaiz Rasheed said that the PTI wants to portray Pakistan as a failed state. He said that the government would not resume talks until Imran Khan gave up what he called “the politics of turmoil”.
“We cannot sit down to talk to someone who is working on a foreign agenda to destabilise the country. We will talk to somebody who is loyal and patriotic,” Rasheed said.
The information minister alleged that foreign powers planned to have Pakistan declared a failed state.
“By calling for a complete shutdown on Dec 16, Imran Khan is promoting the agenda of anti-Pakistan powers,” he said.
The federal minister for railways Khawaja Saad Rafique said that talks cannot be held with the PTI under the shadow of threats.
The railways minister said that the government is being forced to hold negotiations by putting its head under sword.
Saad Rafique said that people will reject the call of Imran Khan for closing down cities and businesses will remain open.
“Imran Khan is playing in the hands of anti-state forces and he can become dangerous for the integrity of Pakistan,” he said.
Moreover, the minister said that the PTI chief should show tolerance and restraint and not take decisions in haste.
