Pakistan's Gas Minister Sets Firm Stance on PTI's Negotiations

Federal Minister Musadik Malik clarifies that the PTI founder's criminal activities won't be part of talks, while emphasizing the need for financial reforms to alleviate public burden due to extensive energy purchases. Despite indictments of PTI's founder, Malik stresses the importance of dialogue to solve national issues.

Pakistan's Federal Minister for Petroleum, Musadik Malik, stated that the criminal charges against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder will not feature in negotiation discussions, according to The Express Tribune. Malik outlined the government's vision for the coming year, emphasizing a transformative agenda to alleviate the financial burden on citizens, citing energy purchases worth billions as a key concern.

Malik expressed readiness to engage PTI in dialogue to address national challenges but maintained a firm stance on the non-negotiability of the founder's crimes. He highlighted ongoing trials and indictments in significant corruption cases, dismissing claims of political victimization of Imran Khan, PTI's leader, during interactions with reporters in Lahore.

Addressing internal reform, Malik accused PTI of employing lobbyists against national interests and acknowledged corruption within government sectors like electricity and water. He committed to rooting out corruption and credited recent economic improvements, such as reduced inflation and stock market gains, while noting the challenges posed by energy costs. Concurrently, initial dialogues between PTI and the federal government concluded with commitments to continue discussions for national progress.

(With inputs from agencies.)