Negotiations between the government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) commenced on Friday at the National Assembly speaker’s chamber, ahead of the PTI’s planned long march towards Islamabad scheduled for October 4. The opposition delegation consists of six members including PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, and PTI leaders Asad Qaiser, Salman Akram Raja, Amir Dogar, and Haleem Adil Sheikh.
The government delegation features Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry, and Pakistan Peoples Party’s Sherry Rehman among others. During the meeting, the interior minister provided an update on the law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
In a notable development, the PTI had to reconstitute its delegation after Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayin-e-Pakistan (TTAP) chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai declined to attend the talks at the NA speaker’s chamber, insisting on a neutral venue for negotiations. The PTI leadership rejected this demand and appointed a new delegation instead.
Barrister Gohar confirmed that the party’s political and core committees approved the names of the opposition delegation, which comprises six members tasked with negotiating with the government. This progress follows PTI chief Imran Khan’s announcement that his party accepted the government’s invitation for talks ahead of the long march.
The government’s proposal for talks was received on Wednesday and accepted in line with decisions made during an opposition leaders’ meeting the same day. Previously, the PTI postponed its long march from September 27 to October 4. The party has stated that the protest aims to demand the release of its jailed founder Imran Khan and the restoration of constitutional supremacy.
Meanwhile, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah urged the PTI to call off the long march amid ongoing negotiations. Speaking at Parliament House in Islamabad, Sanaullah emphasized that protests and marches are not solutions to political issues, and matters pending before the courts should be resolved judicially.
He suggested that issues suitable for dialogue could be addressed at the negotiation table and questioned the opposition’s stance on the meeting venue, stating, “You can sit by the roadside under a tree and talk, but you cannot meet at the Prime Minister’s Office.” Sanaullah warned that such demands harm political tolerance and communication between parties.
Regarding Imran Khan’s health, Sanaullah said the former prime minister, currently incarcerated at Adiala jail, was transferred to a hospital for examination by a panel of senior doctors. He added that Khan had been moved to another hospital for medical checkups, which may not be a private facility. Sanaullah assured that the government will comply with any further court directives related to Khan’s treatment.
