PTI can\u2019t get \u2018Faizyab\u2019 anymore: Sherry Rehman
\nPML-N\u2019s Siddiqui says his party willing to hold talks with PTI; Senator Zafar demands forming truth commission
\n Islamabad
\nThe opposition and the treasury benches have traded barbs in the Senate over the late-night crackdown on the PTI supporters during its \u201cdo-or-die\u201d protest in Islamabad, with PPP Senator Sherry Rehman saying that the former ruling party took a back seat \u201cbecause they know they can no longer be Faizyab\u201d \u2014 a tacit reference to the alleged support of detained former spy chief Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hamid to previous Imran Khan-led regime.
\n\u201cYou [PTI] have launched an attack against the state […] you will get freedom once you accept the responsibility,\u201d the senator said during the session of the upper house of parliament on Thursday.
\nRehman asked the Imran Khan-founded party to tender an apology over the violence took place during the November 26 and May 9, 2023, protests. \u201cThe Constitution of Pakistan was flouted during the PTI\u2019s tenure,\u201d she said, noting that following their ouster, they even wrote a letter to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to halt its financial assistance to Pakistan. She asked the opposition party to endure the imprisonment, saying: \u201cWhat PTI did on May 9 was never done by any political party.\u201d
\n\u201cNow they have to sit down because they know they can no longer be \u2018Faizyab\u2019,\u201d she said.
\nMeanwhile, PML-N Senator Ifran Siddiqui also lashed out at the PTI saying everyone has a right to stage a peaceful protest but does \u201ca peaceful protest is being held by chanting slogans of Al-Jihad, kill or die?\u201d
\nReferring to the PTI\u2019s protest in Islamabad last month that turned violent, the ruling party senator said the opposition party neither filed any application nor sought permission for the public gathering.
\nSpeaking about the reported icebreaker meeting between the PTI leaders and National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, Siddiqui said the PML-N never closed its door on talks.
\n\u201cWe want talks, we are ready for negotiations,\u201d he said clarifying that no formal negotiations have commenced between the PTI and the government.
\nHe also made a sarcastic remark about the talks: \u201cWe are hearing from you that the ice is melting [between the government and the PTI]. By the way, snow is falling all around us.\u201d
\nHowever, Siddiqui also expressed apprehensions about the prospect of the talks with the PTI, stating that the view of jailed PTI founder Imran Khan regarding parleys is not yet known.
\nHe recalled that the rival parties also held fruitful talks in May 2022 \u201cbut after talks, he [Imran Khan] left happily and later refused to negotiate\u201d. \u201cIt seems like the perspective of the PTI founder has changed towards us now.\u201d
\n\u2018Democracy has ended\u2019
\nSpeaking on the Senate floor today, PTI lawmaker Barrister Ali Zafar metaphorically said: \u201cParliament building told me that the democracy in this country has ended\u201d. \u201cThe building said a cruel system is in place,\u201d he added.
\n\u201cI have come here to ask why shots were fired,\u201d he said, referring to the November 26 crackdown on PTI protesters in Islamabad.
\n\u201cAccountability will be held in people\u2019s court of those fired the bullets and ended the right to protest,\u201d he said, reiterating the PTI\u2019s call to form a \u201ctruth-finding commission\u201d. The PTI senator said his party would apologise if proved guilty by the proposed commission.
\nBarrister Zafar also asked why the government was reluctant to form a commission if the government believed \u201cit is saying the truth\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
PTI can\u2019t get \u2018Faizyab\u2019 anymore: Sherry Rehman PML-N\u2019s Siddiqui says his party willing to hold talks with PTI; Senator Zafar demands forming truth commission Islamabad The opposition and the treasury benches have traded barbs in the Senate over the late-night crackdown on the PTI supporters during its \u201cdo-or-die\u201d protest in Islamabad, with PPP Senator Sherry […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":448995,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-448975","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n