ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday ruled out the possibility of a dialogue with ex-premier Imran Khan, amid reports of talks between the two sides at the presidency in Islamabad.
Khan, who was ousted in a parliamentary vote of no-trust in April, has since been agitating against the Sharif government and calling for an early general election in the country.
Ishaq Dar, finance minister and a Sharif confidant, has reportedly met Pakistan’s President Arif Alvi, a close Khan aide, twice in recent weeks to discuss the political and economic crisis, and a way out of it.
While Sharif said the meeting at the presidency was held “with his permission” after the president desired it, he ruled out the possibility of sitting with Khan to defuse the crisis.
“For economic survival, security and prosperity of Pakistan, we can take a hundred steps forward,” the prime minister said at a news conference in Islamabad.
“For a bright future of our country, we can set aside all our differences, but a person who is egoist, who speaks lies day and night, deceives the nation, maligns the armed forces and hurts his favorers, what negotiations will you hold with him?”
Sharif said his party had risked its political capital by taking over Pakistan at such a precarious time and was trying hard to steer the South Asian country out of the crisis.
“It is the nation’s decision, whatever decision it makes in the election,” he said.
“We will accept whatever decision will be made by the nation, provided the election is free and fair.”
The general election is scheduled to be held in Pakistan in the latter half of 2023 and the government has so far rebuffed Khan’s calls for snap polls.
