Pakistan assembly rejects opposition demands

by Aljazeera

Pakistan’s national assembly has rejected the demands of two opposition groups whose supporters have been besieging the parliament for a second day, demanding the prime minister resign over alleged election fraud.

The assembly unanimously adopted a resolution on Thursday in favour of supremacy of constitution, and the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said no unconstitutional act will be accepted at any cost.

The move comes after Pakistani officials held “initial” talks with Imran Khan, chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), and Tahir ul-Qadri, head of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT). Protests led by the two men have virtually shut down Pakistan’s capital and raised fears of unrest.

Earlier, cabinet minister Ahsan Iqbal said that the two sides were trying to find a “win-win solution” even as all sides have stuck to their positions.

Thursday’s talks came after Pakistan’s army chief, General Rasheel Sharif, requested that Sharif’s government negotiate with thousands of protesters who have surrounded the parliament.

The twin protests started last week in the eastern city of Lahore and later moved to the capital Islamabad.

The protesters tore down barricades late on Tuesday and entered the so-called “Red Zone” housing key government buildings and diplomatic posts forcing the government to deploy army in the sensitive area.

While the failed talks of senior government officials with Qadri took place inside a shipping container which the authorities had placed to block the demonstrators from marching ahead, the meeting with the representatives of Khan’s party took place in a hotel close to the parliament.