Islamabad, December 23, 2024: The first formal meeting between the government and opposition alliance committees has concluded, with a communiqué issued summarizing the proceedings.
According to the communiqué, the meeting was chaired by National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq. The government committee was represented by Ishaq Dar, Irfan Siddiqui, Rana Sanaullah, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Naveed Qamar, Aleem Khan, and Farooq Sattar.
From the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) alliance committee, Asad Qaiser, Raja Nasir Abbas, and Sahibzada Hamid Raza participated. Asad Qaiser informed the meeting that other members of the PTI committee were unable to attend due to ongoing legal cases or being outside the country.
The communiqué noted that both committees expressed goodwill and termed the meeting a positive development. Both sides emphasized that the parliament is a crucial platform for resolving national issues and underscored the importance of continuing the dialogue process.
During the meeting, the opposition committee presented an outline of its initial demands. It was agreed that the opposition would submit a written list of demands and conditions in the next meeting.
The meeting also included a moment of prayer for the martyrs who sacrificed their lives in the fight against terrorism. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to standing united with the nation in efforts to eradicate terrorism.
Both committees expressed their gratitude to Speaker Ayaz Sadiq for facilitating the dialogue and praised his efforts in establishing the government committee and initiating the negotiation process. It was mutually agreed that the next meeting would be held on January 2, 2025.
This marks a significant step in fostering dialogue and cooperation between the government and opposition to address pressing national issues.