The spokesperson for the government’s negotiation committee Irfan Siddiqui spoke to the media regarding the opposition’s stance on the ongoing talks and alleged that opposition has been violating the agreed terms of negotiations.
Siddique explained that the opposition was given a seven-day written deadline and discussions had taken place, but now with the deadline nearly up, it was unclear what their issues were.
“Different individuals bring different news,” Siddiqui commented, referring to the opposition’s inconsistent statements. He further added, “At times they say they will not form a commission, and then they say they will, but only after announcements are made. At other times, we hear that a raid was conducted at someone's house, and they won't show up.”
Siddiqui emphasized that the opposition’s contradictory statements were troubling, stating, and “Sometimes they demand terms of reference (TORs), claiming they won’t come unless they are provided
He continued, “I have previously stated that negotiations are not their field of expertise. Their skills lie elsewhere.”
The spokesperson of the government negotiation committee also mentioned that National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq had scheduled a meeting for tomorrow, adding, “We will attend if the given time is respected; if they don’t show up, we will reconsider.”
Siddiqui concluded by suggesting that it would be better for the opposition to declare that their committee has been dissolved if they no longer wish to participate.
He emphasized that they would no longer be calling on anyone to join the negotiations, stating, “We will not shout from rooftops anymore, nor will we call anyone to attend.”
