Islamabad: Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah has urged the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to call off its planned long march and return to the negotiating table, saying political differences can only be resolved through dialogue.
Speaking to a private television channel on Tuesday, Sanaullah said the federal government had consistently maintained that negotiations were the most effective way to address outstanding political issues and find a workable solution.
He said previous rounds of talks between the government and PTI had brought the two sides close to agreement on a draft, but the process later stalled after the PTI changed its position on the issue of terrorism.
According to Sanaullah, the government remained firm that the country’s fight against terrorism was a national challenge that required a unified response from all institutions and provinces. He said the threat had been imposed on Pakistan by its enemies and could not be dealt with through political divisions.
The adviser particularly called on the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to adopt a united position in confronting terrorism and to stand with the federal government in efforts to counter the threat.
Sanaullah made it clear that while the government remained open to political dialogue, it would not compromise on its position regarding terrorism.
‘The federal government will not take even a single step back from its position on terrorism,’ he said, stressing that negotiations remained possible but would have to take place within the framework of national security and the country’s broader interests.