Islamabad: Speaker of the National Assembly, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, clarified that no proposal was made for the resumption of dialogue between the government and opposition during a recent meeting with Federal Minister Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhary and MNA Malik Muhammad Amir Dogar. His remarks came amidst ongoing speculation about potential negotiations between the two political factions.

According to National Assembly of Pakistan, Sadiq addressed the media to assert that the meeting was solely focused on matters related to the upcoming National Assembly session. He emphasized that no discussions or proposals regarding dialogue with the opposition were entertained during the meeting. The Speaker stated that his interaction with the opposition was limited to requesting the names of those who would attend the upcoming Independence Day ceremony.

Sadiq further expressed his past efforts to facilitate dialogue between the government and opposition, noting that he had ceased extending invitations for talks due to a lack of response. He highlighted Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif’s repeated attempts to engage the opposition in dialogue within Parliament. Sadiq stressed that genuine dialogue requires face-to-face interaction rather than media statements.

The Speaker also commented on the parliamentary committee previously established for political dialogue, indicating that opposition members had not approached him to reinstate it. He noted that the PTI had selected a Leader of the Opposition to engage in negotiations, but suggested that the leader might not have been authorized to do so.

Addressing questions about staff attached to PTI chairpersons of standing committees, Sadiq stated that staff would be reassigned if the respective chairpersons relinquished their positions. He reiterated his willingness to meet with the Leader of the Opposition, offering to vacate his chamber to facilitate such a meeting.

Sadiq concluded by emphasizing that Parliament is the appropriate platform for resolving political issues through consultation and engagement, but questioned the opposition’s genuine interest in pursuing negotiations.