In partnership with
Tuesday, 24 February, 2026 | 6 Ramazan, 1447
Profit
Rs 50.00 | Vol XVI No 231 | 44 Pages | Islamabad Edition
GOVT INVITES OPPOSITION FOR DIALOGUE TO STRENGTHEN CHARTER OF DEMOCRACY g
pM Shehbaz arives in Qatar for two-day official visit DOHA
staff report
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Qatar on Monday for a two-day official visit at the invitation of Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. The prime minister was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, along with other ministers and senior officials. According to a Foreign Office statement, the visit reflects the “deep-rooted fraternal ties” between Pakistan and Qatar and underscores their commitment to enhancing multifaceted cooperation.
Continued on page 03
RANA SANAULLAH SAYS GOVT COMMITTED TO DIALOGUE RATHER THAN CONFRONTATION
T
ISLAMABAD
staff report
HE government on Monday extended an invitation to the opposition to engage in talks aimed at “strengthening and taking forward” the Charter of Democracy, the 2006 agreement signed by PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and late PPP leader Benazir Bhutto to uphold democratic principles and oppose dictatorship. Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah Khan addressed the Senate session in response to Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, saying the government was committed to dialogue rather than confrontation. “Let us sit together to strengthen and take forward the Charter of Democracy,” he said, emphasising that talks with the opposition would reinforce democratic processes instead of leading to political deadlock. “The government wants the opposition to play an effective role in the democratic process,” he said, adding that the ruling side had repeatedly invited the opposition for talks. Addressing concerns about the health of Imran Khan, he stated that all medical facilities were being provided in accordance with the law and under the directions of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. He added that a panel of doctors had examined the former premier in jail and that any relief in pending cases could only be granted by the courts in line with legal procedures. Sanaullah added that parties in the ruling coalition had consistently supported dialogue even when Imran Khan was in power. However, he noted that
g
SAYS ALL MEDICAL FACILITIES PROVIDED TO IMRAN KHAN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW
Imran Khan’s reluctance to engage remained a major obstacle. “We are ready to sit with you for the betterment of the country, but his stubbornness is a big hurdle in the way of meaningful talks,” the adviser said. The statement comes amid ongoing political tensions and repeated calls from opposition lawmakers for consultations on national issues and democratic reforms. Senate sees PPP–MQM clash over Karachi’s status as PPP vows to defend Sindh's unity Separately, the Senate on Monday witnessed sharp exchanges after the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) strongly opposed recent statements regarding the creation of a separate province comprising Karachi, declaring the port city an inseparable part of Sindh. The debate comes days after the Sindh Assembly passed a resolution affirming that Karachi is an “inseparable” part of the province and rejecting any move to alter its status. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), however, opposed the resolution in the provincial assembly, terming it unconstitutional. Speaking in the upper house, PPP parliamentary leader Sherry Rehman criticised recent remarks by certain federal ministers—an apparent reference to MQM-P leaders Mustafa Kamal and Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui—describing such statements as reckless and unconstitutional. “Let me be clear: the PPP is the custodian of Sindh’s unity and no one will be allowed to undermine it,” she said, adding that Sindh had shared its resources with the rest of the country since 1947.
Continued on page 03