Govt rejects any negotiations with PTI, accuses opposition of escalating tensions

The government has firmly rejected any possibility of negotiations with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protesters, escalating tensions following days of demonstrations in Islamabad, reported Express News.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Information Minister Atta Tarar held a joint press conference on Tuesday, stating that the protesters, who had gathered at D-Chowk, had been pushed back and the area was cleared. The ministers stressed that no discussions would take place with the demonstrators.

The interior minister maintained that no negotiations would be held with the protesters, asserting that "now that they have come and seen the situation, there is no possibility of talks. The government has made a clear decision that there will be no negotiations with those on the sit-in."

He detailed the actions taken by the government forces, stating that not only had the protesters been removed from D-Chowk, but they had been pushed back "two roundabouts away." 

Naqvi accused the PTI protesters of trying to provoke violence, claiming that their objective was to cause casualties, a situation the government worked hard to avoid. 

"We saw the type of people who came in these protest caravans," he remarked. "Their goal was to provoke violence and create martyrs, but we managed to clear the area without any loss of life," he added.

He also referred to Bushra Bibi, wife of PTI founder Imran Khan, as being responsible for instigating the unrest. "The person responsible for the loss of life and property is one woman," Naqvi said, without explicitly naming Bibi, adding that the authorities would "deal with her accordingly."