‘Absolutely false’: Info minister rejects claims of ‘firm, final’ offer to PTI
ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Attaullah Tarar has dismissed reports about the government deciding to make a “firm and final” offer to the PTI of reconstituting the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and holding general elections a year earlier in exchange for the opposition party rejoining parliamentary committees, it emerged on Friday.
The alleged development was reported by a private TV channel on Thursday.
“One or two important meetings” were held a few days ago, following which it had been decided at the “high-level” that a “final and firm offer” would be made to the PTI, the TV said.
According to the report, the government had decided to ask the PTI to “return to Parliament, rejoin [parliamentary] committees and participate in the parliamentary process”.
“In return, two things will happen: the entire ECP will be reconstituted and the law will be amended so that the next elections are free and fair. And more importantly, the government is ready to hold elections a year earlier than scheduled,” it said.
The TV channel further claimed that if this “package deal” was agreed upon, “you will see Imran’s and his associates’ legal problems easing in the coming days”.
“This is a package deal, take it or leave it,” it further said, apparently referring to the government’s stance regarding its supposed proposal to the PTI.
The channel said that according to the information he had, the offer should have been made by yesterday or the day before, but he had no confirmation of it yet.
However, Information Minister Tarar rejected these reports in a post on the social media platform X early on Friday.
“Absolutely false. I don’t know how these stories are cooked up every few days. Strongly rebutted,” his post said.
Minister of State for Law and Justice Barrister Aqeel Malik also termed the reports “absolutely fake news”.
“No such offer has been made whatsoever! I would urge to check again with whatever ‘sources’ you might claim to have gotten this false information from. The only offer made thus far has been of ‘talks’ between political parties and nothing else with no conditions and/or pre-conditions, hence we must refrain from stating things that are not correct!” he posted on X, also sharing a clip from Malick’s show.
However, the state minister was present in the show when this matter was discussed between Malick and PTI leader Shaukat Yousafzai, who also negated the reports. But, neither was he asked nor did he himself comment on the matter on that occasion. Monitoring Desk
