Opposition backs out from talks with govt.

ISLAMABAD -- The much-anticipated government-opposition talks, scheduled for Monday, could not take place as the opposition seemed not interested in sitting with the treasury members to sort out issues.

A three-member government delegation, which had met the opposition leaders on Friday, seeking better relations at least in the parliament, were to hold another round of talks with opposition parties on Monday.

However, following the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) parliamentary party's meeting in the Parliament House, which was also addressed by party's vice president Maryam Nawaz, the opposition dropped the idea of holding the meeting.

Instead it was all set to stage a protest during the National Assembly session if the treasury had managed to bring in the required number of members to the house after quorum was pointed out by a PML-N member.

However, the treasury side could not meet the quorum following which proceedings of the lower house were adjourned till 4pm on Tuesday (today).

It had been hoped that the government-opposition meeting on Monday would have lowered the political temperature, but instead the gulf between both sides widened.

The opposition members even carried placards inscribed with anti-government slogans. They also placed portraits of their jailed leaders Shahbaz Sharif, Khawaja Asif and Khursheed Shah on their tables, facing the National Assembly speaker. However, the opposition did not stage protest in the house after the proceedings stalled due to lack of quorum.

When contacted, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Syed Naveed Qamar said the opposition did not go for the talks as the PML-N was busy in its parliamentary party meeting.

'We cannot meet the government without PML-N,' he added.

On the other hand, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Mohammad Khan told Dawn that PPP members came for the meeting but not the PML-N representatives.

'It was decided in our (government-opposition) Friday's meeting that we will meet again on Monday but the opposition did not meet its commitment today,' he added.

Asked who came from the PPP for the meeting on Monday, the minister said, 'only Mr Naveed Qamar'.

The state minister however hinted that the government planned to invite the opposition for another round of talks in the coming days.

Mr Qamar had told Dawn on Friday that a representative each from PPP and PML-N (he and former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi) would attend the meeting on Monday while the...