Completing five-year tenure easy if I compromise with opposition: PM.

ISLAMABAD: The government can complete its five-year tenure very easily if I come to a compromise with the opposition parties, Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Sunday.

The country's economy has been affected because of the coronavirus, the premier told MNAs of the PTI and coalition parties after a dinner at PM House.

PM Khan also criticised the PPP in his speech and said Bilawal Bhutto Zardari's party has destroyed itself by moving away from its ideology. He added that his party, however, is standing with its ideology and will always stand by it. The prime minister said that he was under immense pressure to hide the sugar inquiry report but he chose to publish it. He added that a former military dictator failed to make public inquiry reports into sugar crises twice in his government because of the pressure.

Before the dinner, the premier met coalition partners at PM House and listened to their demands and reservations. PM Khan also took the partners into confidence over the budget 2020-21 and the country's economic condition.

The MQM, JWP and GDA attended the dinner hosted by PM Khan but PML-Q leaders declined due to "party meetings". Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed didn't attend the dinner because of his health issues. He was recently released from the hospital after recovering from the novel coronavirus.

Earlier, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) announced on Sunday that it would not be attending the dinner at Prime Minister Imran Khan's residence Bani Gala, following Balochistan National Party-Mengal's (BNP-M) rejection a day ago.

The PML-Q is an ally of the government but will not be attending the dinner, maintained the coalition party in its rejection of PM Imran's invitation.

The PML-Q spokesperson confirmed that the federal government contacted the party leadership and invited them to the dinner. However, said the spokesperson, the party leaders will not be attending due to their busy schedules.

Nonetheless, according to the spokesperson, the party will be voting for the government's side of the aisle for Budget 2020-21.

The PTI-led government has been facing the ire of lawmakers currently due to its decision of a record hike of 26 percent in the prices of all petroleum products. Earlier, the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) also announced its refusal to attend the dinner at Bani Gala.

BNP-M President Sardar Akhtar Mengal said that the dinner is for...