Shehbaz Sharif to Imran Khan: Let's talk it out. Ex-Pakistan PM says…

Striking a conciliatory tone, former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan said that he was willing to "talk to anyone" and "make any sacrifice" for the country's "uplift, interest, and democracy", Dawn reported. This came after Pakistan prime minister Shehbaz Sharif urged cooperation after clashes between police and Imran Khan's supporters.

Earlier, Shehbaz Sharif had also said that all political groups in Pakistan should come together for talks in order to resolve the nation's political and economic challenges. Imran Khan has been eluding arrest in the Toshakhana cases as thousands of his supporters clashed with police and Pakistan Rangers.

"I will not refrain from any sacrifice for the sake of Pakistan's uplift, interest and democracy. In this regard, I am willing to talk to anyone and take every step towards it," Imran Khan tweeted.

"I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the people of Pakistan who joined us in the struggle for true freedom and to our workers from all over Pakistan, including Lahore," he said in another tweet.

Meanwhile, Shehbaz Sharif said in a speech to the Senate that political stability was necessary for economic stability, adding that his administration had sacrificed its politics for the nation's benefit. The deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was forthcoming, he informed the upper house of Parliament while accusing Imran Khan's government of deliberately breaking its agreements with IMF.

"The fact of the matter is that when we took over, our economy was facing very difficult challenges. We had negotiated and signed the agreement with the IMF but did not adhere to it. We didn't respect the terms and conditions and flouted them which damaged Pakistan's image, trust and confidence," Shehbaz Sharif said.