Extending a “reconciliation offer” to incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan, PML-N stalwart Rana Sanaullah on Monday said that together they could steer the country out of crises.
His remarks came as the cash-strapped nation simultaneously facing multiple challenges, including economic and political crises and a sharp rise in terrorism.
In a bid to run the state affairs, the PML-N-led government has recently made a formal request to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for another bailout package in the range of $6 to $8 billion under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) with the possibility of augmentation through climate financing.
Speaking on Geo News programme “Aaj Shahzeb khanzada Kay Sath”, the PML-N senior leader urged the PTI founder to come to the table as the country’s fragile economy could not bear escalating political tensions and politics of protests and agitation.
He asked Khan to “take the matter to a logical conclusion”. The former interior minister said that the PTI founder was not even “ready to sit or talk” with anyone.
Sanaullah said that they were “in the system and in the parliament” as they won elections.
Referring to the results of Sunday’s by-polls, the PML-N leader said: “PTI’s supporters and voters did not come out of their homes due to his [Imran Khan] stubbornness.”
This by-polls “charged” their voters, claimed Sanaullah.
The ruling PML-N, according to the unofficial and inconclusive results, claimed at least two out of the five National Assembly seats, while also won 10 out of the 16 seats in the provincial legislatures.
The Pakistan Peoples Party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed Sunni Ittehad Council, the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party, the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid has won one seat each in the provincial assemblies.
Meanwhile, PML-N’s Adnan Afzal Chattha secured the PP-36 Wazirabad seat from PTI’s Fayyaz Chattha.
Talking about his party’s success in Punjab by-polls, Sanaullah said that the PML-N’s performance remained “better” in Punjab from every aspect.
Clarifying his yesterday’s remarks, the PML-N leader said that he did not say that they wanted any “deal” with the PTI founder.
A day earlier, the PML-N Punjab president had said that Khan’s release was not a big deal if the PTI leadership held talks.
Responding to a question, Sanaullah said that the PTI founder was sentenced by the court and excused himself from commenting on it.
Pre-election sentences to Khan benefited the PTI in the elections, he claimed.
“Verbal accusations do not prove anything,” the PML-N leader added.
