Opposition groups further towards a possible solution to end the political deadlock.
ISLAMABAD, Sept 03, 2014 (AFP) - Pakistani opposition groups on Wednesday resumed talks with the government in a bid to end the political crisis rocking the country, but a stalemate over demands for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif s resignation dragged on. The fresh talks came after days of clashes between police and club-wielding anti-government protesters left three dead and hundreds injured, raising fears of an intervention by the powerful military that has ruled Pakistan for more than half its history. Government negotiators met briefly with members of the Pakistan Tehreek Insaf (PTI) party of cricketing legend Imran Khan -- who has been leading the protests along with populist cleric Tahir-ul-Qadri -- but they left without addressing the media. Separate negotiations between Qadri and a cross-party team of opposition lawmakers were ongoing late Wednesday. Both Khan and Qadri claim that the 2013 general election which swept Sharif to power was heavily rigged. Thousands of their followers have set up camp in Islamabad s sensitive "Red Zone" government district since August 15. But their calls to overthrow the government have failed to galvanise mass support in the country of 180 million. Addressing supporters at a rally on Wednesday night as the talks got under way, Khan said he had no intention of calling the protests off any time soon, comparing them to Test cricket as opposed to the sport s shorter Twenty20 form. "It s not a T20 match -- it s going to be a long match," he said. Qadri, meanwhile, told his supporters to leave the area in front of parliament where protesters have been camped out for two weeks -- leaving it strewn with rubbish and human waste -- and to occupy the roads instead.
