Imran departs from his so-called principled position

ISLAMABAD: By requesting Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for negotiations on the question of appointment of new Army Chief and holding of general elections in the country, Imran Khan has departed from his so-called principled position about his political opponents that he wouldn’t talk to them since they are dacoits, robbers and criminals.

The prime minister has discarded the offer made by the later terming that appointment of the Army Chief is the sole prerogative of the prime minister in accordance with the constitution while ignored the point pertaining to the polls.

Well-placed political sources told The News here Saturday evening that it wasn’t for the first time that Imran established contact with Shehbaz but he had approached him thrice before, ever-since he was thrown out of the office in April this year. The prime minister has revealed Saturday in Lahore that Imran had approached him through a common business friend for parlays on appointing Army Chief and holding of general election in the country. The PTI chairman suggested that they both would bring fore three names each for the appointment and on an agreed general, appointment should be made.

Shahbaz Sharif rejected the proposal by conveying him that its exclusive prerogative of the prime minister as he (Imran) did in the case of extending tenure in case of incumbent Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa. Shahbaz Sharif offered him to have negotiations on establishment of charter of democracy (CoD) and charter of economy (CoC) in the interest of country and its people. The prime minister didn’t brief about the response about his counter proposal.

The sources reminded that with the development, it has been established that Imran has conceded the fact that Shahbaz Sharif is fully justify in appointing new Army Chief and his opposition to authority of Shahbaz has no moral value. Interestingly PTI and Imran haven’t reacted adversely to disclosures of Shahbaz Sharif that he made on Saturday afternoon. It has been proven that Shahbaz Sharif and Imran are maintaining backchannel contacts with each other.

In the meanwhile, sources pointed out that the government has accepted PTI, its attitude and agitation as grim reality of politics. It is the similar policy that was followed in 2014 long march and sit-in of PTI and Tahirul Qadri. The ministries concerned will deal with the agitation and other ministries and departments would keep devoting their attention on the economic and other activities.

For the reason no federal minister other than the interior and security affairs, are in fray to deal with the PTI so-called long march. They have been advised by the ruling alliance leadership to concentrate their energies on the tasks, they have been assigned, the sources added.