ISLAMABAD:
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has questioned the dialogue process with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)-led government after the ruling coalition failed to organize a meeting between the founding president of the PTI imprisoned, Imran Khan, and the party negotiation. committee. The meeting could not take place despite earlier promises that it would take place.
Speaking about the delayed meeting with former Prime Minister Imran Khan at Adiala Jail ahead of the next round of talks, PTI leaders said there are now major doubts whether the other side is in a position to deliver.
Despite the government’s inability to provide its negotiation committee with access to the party leader in Adiala jail, the PTI leadership has categorically stated that it is not withdrawing from the dialogue process. At the same time, he waits for the next “excuse” from the government.
“He [the delay] is affecting the dialogue process, and not only that, the fact that a meeting with Imran Khan Sahib could not be arranged has raised a big question mark on how powerful the government, its negotiating committee, the political parties really are. allies and the deputy prime minister,” PTI said. Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram told The Express PAkGazette.
“The ruling PML-N, PPP, MQM-P and their other allies have not yet been able to arrange a meeting with Khan Sahib,” Akram said. “Will they be able to accept our demands, including the release of PTI leaders and workers and the formation of judicial commissions into the May 9 and November 26 incidents?”
He rhetorically asked how the government could meet key demands if it cannot even arrange a jail meeting with Imran Khan. “It’s a worrying situation.”
The PTI spokesperson recalled how the doors of Adiala jail were opened for a PTI leader Azam Swati at 7 am only because the government wanted to request Imran Khan to delay a political rally planned in the capital.
He added that the government and the opposition were currently at a critical juncture in history, but all his party could see was that a meeting with the PTI supreme leader had not been arranged.
However, he categorically said that the PTI will not withdraw from the talks process, adding that the negotiation committee would see what the government says, in practical terms, during the third round of talks.
A member of PTI’s legal team, lawyer Faisal Chaudhry, told The Express PAkGazette that Tuesday was reserved for meetings with family and lawyers, while Thursday is marked for meetings with friends.
As per the schedule, Chaudhry said Aleema Khan, Uzma Khan and Qasim Khan Niazi met Imran on Tuesday, but the meeting with the lawyers was postponed as the PTI founder was seeking a meeting with the negotiation committee.
Chaudhry added that Adiala Jail authorities were contacted last night on instructions from NA opposition leader Omar Ayub. “It was agreed with the prison authorities that they would provide information once permission was granted for a meeting with the negotiating committee.”
However, he said, the PTI negotiation committee was not allowed to meet Khan despite waiting all day.
“This raises major questions as to whether the government’s negotiation team has the power to implement any substantive decision, given that they admitted that they did not organize a meeting of the PTI team with Khan Sahib,” Chaudhry said.
He also emphasized that party leaders had only been allowed a single meeting with Imran (on December 26, 2024) in the last three months.
“It appears that an unannounced ban has been imposed on Imran Khan’s meetings with his party leaders,” he said.
Access to Imran Khan has become a sticking point in talks between both sides and the dialogue appears to have reached a dead end.
The stalking process had begun on December 23, in an attempt to calm tensions and improve relations. A second meeting followed on January 2, 2025, but nothing concrete came of it.
During the last two rounds of talks, the government stressed that the PTI should submit its demands in writing before moving forward. On the other hand, the PTI has been saying that the letter of demands cannot be finalized without meeting Imran Khan.
Since talks began, both sides have accused each other of delays and things have moved at a snail’s pace since then.
The third round of talks was expected this week, but a date could not be set.
