Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif extended an olive branch to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and said that all political forces will have to sit for dialogue to rid the country of the ongoing political and economic crises, a report has said.

Shehbaz said that the government would conduct the general election at its scheduled time as per the decision of the Election Commission of Pakistan, Dawn reported.

“No one should have any doubt in this regard. We will wholeheartedly participate in the election and follow whatever decided by the ECP,” the Pakistani Prime Minister said.

He said that the threat of Pakistan defaulting on its debt was over now as the staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund would be finalised soon.

“All political forces will have to sit together to take the country forward,” Shehbaz reportedly said in a meeting.

The Pakistani Prime Minister also claimed that he invited PTI for talks twice recently, but the party did not turn up.

“Though politicians always resort to dialogue, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf has a history of not responding positively in this regard,” Shehbaz alleged.

He added that Imran’s party did not even attend a meeting held in Peshawar after suicide attack inside a mosque in the Police Lines.

Shehbaz also reacted to the ongoing controversy over the Toshakhana case and called Imran Khan a liar. He said that the PTI chief, who called himself an honest person, was a liar as he sold a wristwatch with the model of Holy Ka’aba.

His reaction comes after dozens of Khan’s supporters, armed with batons and sling-shots, barricaded his home since Tuesday to prevent Islamabad Police and Rangers from arresting him for failing to show up in court over the Toshakhana case.

However, a Pakistani high court ordered police on Thursday to postpone an operation to arrest Imran Khan for another day.

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