Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday said dialogue was a key to evolving democracy, however categorically stated that it could not be held with ‘anarchists and arsonists’ in the garb of politicians.
The prime minister’s statement came after the former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan on Friday appealed for immediate talks with state officials.
Sharif said dialogue is deeply embedded in the political process, which helps democracy mature and evolve.
He said many political and constitutional breakthroughs occurred when political leaders sat across the table to craft a consensus.
“However, there is a major difference here, the anarchists and arsonists who wear the garb of politicians and attack the symbols of the State do not qualify for a dialogue,” he said.
The prime minister emphasized that such people should rather be held to account for their militant actions.
He also termed it a prevalent practice even in developed democracies.
The PTI had last week announced the constitution of a seven-member team for negotiating with the incumbent government on the direction of its chairman.
The negotiation team comprises PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, former defence minister Pervez Khattak, former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser, PTI Sindh President Haleem Adil Sheikh, and former ministers Murad Saeed, Hammad Azhar, and Aun Abbasi.
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