ISLAMABAD: On Wednesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif offered political adversary Imran Khan a seat and a conversation if he had any concerns.
Speaking to the National Assembly, the premier remarked, “If their [PTI] founder is facing troubles [in jail], then I reiterate: come, let’s sit down and talk.”
Politicians in this house, according to the premier, used to harshly criticize one another but would also support one another in happy and unhappy times.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) have been at odds for a long time, especially since the elections on February 8 that Imran’s party claims to have won.
The prime minister declared, “We joined the parliament despite the [rigged] polls,” in reference to the 2018 elections. The kinds of slogans that were thrown up during my inaugural address will go down in history books as a sad chapter.”
“If someone is facing any injustice, then I believe that the scales of justice should be in favour of those [being victimised], there is no difference over it — whether it be any politician or anyone from any walk of life.”
The prime minister bemoaned the fact that, despite his repeated proposals to have Imran sit at the discussion table while he was in the opposition, such slogans were once again raised. “So who is to blame for this animosity [among politicians]? We no longer even shake hands,” he said.
