PM directs to stay alert, use all resources for help of people during current rain spell

ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed the federal and provincial departments to stay alert and use all the resources for the help of the people during the current rain spell.

According to a statement released by the Prime Minister Office on Monday, the Prime Minister directed the National and Provincial Disaster Management Authorities to strictly monitor the situation. He said the federal departments should work in close collaboration with the provincial governments and departments.

Shehbaz Sharif said where necessary, provision is made for the protection and assistance of the public and that the people be shifted to safe areas immediately.

The Prime Minister also directed the National Highway Authority and other relevant departments to monitor interprovincial national highways. He directed to ensure effective arrangements for traffic flow and public convenience on Quetta-Karachi highway in Lasbela and Quetta-Sibi highway in Bolan. He said the people should be alerted in various highways and affected areas. He said protecting life and property is the priority.

Shehbaz Sharif said all civil service departments should remain vigilant in the current rains and work with national spirit and sense of responsibility. He also appealed to the people to take precautionary measures in the severe weather conditions and cooperate with the government departments.

ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

The government and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) have ‘mutually agreed’ to change the timing of negotiations to break the ongoing political and constitutional impasse and agree on one date for holding elections in the country.

The third round of negotiations were originally planned for 11am on May 2nd but, according to Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani, they have been moved to 9pm on the same day as per a mutual agreement.

The talks between the government and PTI will be held at the Senate Secretariat, Sanjrani confirmed on Monday.

The decision to change the negotiation time was made due to the busy schedules of the members of the government and the PTI negotiation committees, he explained. Efforts to find common ground through dialogue between the leaders of the ruling alliance and the PTI have continued as the talks remained on track. However, the talks have not yet yielded results so far. Leaders from both sides have refused to let their differences come in the way of forging a consensus on general elections.

On the second day of talks, the government and the PTI teams once again entered a room in the Parliament House, shut the door, only to emerge after a couple of hours, agreeing that the third –possibly final – round would take place on Tuesday after which a decision would be announced. Though the leaders sounded hopeful about future prospects, the second round of talks ended with both sides agreeing to take input from their leadership and continue negotiations.

On Saturday, PTI spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry announced that the former ruling party has decided to continue negotiations with the government regarding the framework for elections within the bounds of the Constitution.

Taking to Twitter, Fawad stated that the PTI is committed to upholding the orders of the Supreme Court and rejecting any attempts to “sabotage the talks”.

He further said that the final agenda for the negotiations will be discussed on Tuesday.