PTI wants 'working relationship' with other parties: Asad Qaiser
A Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) delegation and PML-N's Ayaz Sadiq, after a meeting held to discuss parliamentary affairs on Sunday, vowed that both parties would move forward with "mutual consultation".
PTI's Fawad Chaudhry and Asad Qaiser ─ the party's nominee for NA speaker ─ made the announcement alongside Sadiq at a press conference in Islamabad after the meeting at Speaker House.
Qaiser said that his party wanted to establish a "working relationship" with other parties, and that the PTI wished to cooperate with other parties in order to counter challenges ─ including the economy ─ being faced by the country.
Chaudhry said that the incoming government would face strong opposition and emphasised the importance of working together, adding that the PTI would try to remove reservations held by opposing parties over the July 25 polls. Major political parties, including the PML-N and PPP, have alleged that the recently held elections were rigged.
Outgoing NA Speaker Sadiq, who will be administering oath to the newly elected MNAs during a parliamentary session on Aug 13 (tomorrow), said that the ceremony would take place in accordance with the law and Constitution.
The PTI said it is inviting other parliamentary leaders to party chairman Imran Khan's oath-taking ceremony for the post of prime minister, which is to take place on August 18.
Sadiq has already been invited to the ceremony, and Chaudhry said that the delegation would meet PPP leader Khursheed Shah on Sunday evening and extend an invitation to him as well.
PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto are also expected to be invited to the ceremony.
Jehangir Tareen makes strides with PML-Q
Meanwhile, senior PTI leader Jehangir Tareen met Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid's (PML-Q) Chaudhry Pervez Elahi at the latter's residence in Lahore today.
Talking to the media after the meeting, Elahi said the parties discussed the "problems of Punjab" as well as nominees for the provincial assembly's speaker and chief minister slots.
He confirmed once again that he had been nominated for the post of Punjab Assembly speaker, while the nominee for chief minister would be decided by Imran Khan.
Tareen said that his party would govern Punjab "in partnership" with the PML-Q.
"We will introduce a governance system that has never been implemented before," Tareen claimed.
He criticised Punjab's former chief minister Shahbaz Sharif for his "wrong policies" and vowed that his party would hold a transparent audit of all departments. He also promised that once in power, the PTI would implement a "new local government system" in the province.
Elahi echoed Tareen's criticism of Shahbaz Sharif, saying that the former Punjab CM's government had not given any authority to local bodies. He stressed that a system where power is devolved to the grassroots level must be introduced in the province.
He too accused Sharif of robbing Punjab of all financial resources and weakening its institutions. Elahi cautioned that the "blood of the [victims of] Model Town was following Sharif and he would have to go to jail soon.
He further said that the PTI had not set any "targets" for the former chief minister.