Dialogue
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) decision to end ongoing negotiations with the government has been termed “unfortunate” by the government, which has urged the former ruling party to reconsider before the seven-working-day deadline ends on January 28.
Addressing journalists outside the Parliament House on Thursday, PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui, the spokesperson for the government’s negotiation committee, expressed disappointment over PTI’s abrupt withdrawal from the talks. “When they [PTI] knocked on our door and handed over a questionnaire, they should have listened to our answers,” Siddiqui remarked.
The comments came in response to incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan’s decision to “call off” negotiations due to the government’s failure to establish a judicial commission within the stipulated seven-day period.
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, speaking to the media outside Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, shared Imran Khan’s frustration over the delay. “The founder of PTI has categorically announced that no further rounds of negotiations will take place,” Gohar said, accusing the government of failing to follow through on its commitments.
The negotiations, initiated in late December between the PML-N-led government and PTI, aimed to ease the country’s political tensions. However, despite three sessions, little progress was made on major issues.
During the third session on January 16, PTI presented a written charter of demands, which included forming two judicial commissions—one to investigate the May 9, 2023 riots and another to probe the events surrounding PTI’s November 2024 protest in Islamabad. PTI also called for the release of “political prisoners.”
Senator Siddiqui criticized PTI for expecting the government to act within seven days while taking 42 days to finalize its own demands. “We reckon the seven working days will be completed on January 28. What went wrong in the last seven days that led them to give up on talks?” he questioned.
He described PTI’s decision to withdraw as hasty and urged the party to reconsider, emphasizing the government’s commitment to addressing PTI’s demands.
Siddiqui revealed that a sub-committee, comprising representatives from seven allied parties, was working on a written response to PTI’s demands and was close to forming an opinion on the matter.
The senator also pointed out that the government exercised restraint throughout the talks, overlooking actions by PTI, including posts on Imran Khan’s official X account and his civil disobedience call. “We made these efforts in the spirit of democracy and give-and-take,” Siddiqui added.
He called on PTI’s leadership to either continue the dialogue or formally notify the government if the negotiations were truly over. The government, Siddiqui stressed, remains committed to resolving the political impasse and hopes PTI reconsiders its position for the sake of political stability and democratic progress.
