PPP to join govt representatives as Shehbaz-Zardari meeting yields Friday talks with opposition

A joint delegation between the PPP and the government will meet with the PTI leadership on Friday, as confirmed by identical statements from the PPP and the Presidency. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif initiated the process by calling on President Asif Ali Zardari at Aiwan-i-Sadr in Islamabad. PTI Chairperson Barrister Gohar Khan confirmed that a meeting between opposition and government representatives would occur on Friday.

Khan received a message from the government yesterday regarding the meeting, which he accepted, and indicated that the opposition-delegation meeting would take place at the National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq's office the following day at 12pm.

The meeting included representatives from various opposition parties such as Gohar, Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, Mehmood Khan Achakzai, Salman Akram Raja, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, Asad Qaiser, Aamer Mahmood Kamboh, and Akhundzada Yousufzai. Discussion focused on the political situation, PTI's planned protest march, and other constitutional and parliamentary matters. Following the meeting, Achakzai ruled out participating in any meeting within the speaker's chamber.

The opposition alliance Tehreek-i-Tahaffuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP), led by Achakzai, is expected to join the protest against the PTI's planned march on October 4 demanding Imran Khan's release. The PTI's resolute stance on the march has prompted federal ministers to warn that the Centre may impose governor's rule or emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa if the demands are not met. The opposition has threatened dire consequences if the Centre imposes such a decision.