Govt, opposition begin second round of talks ahead of PTI's Islamabad march

Delegations from the government and opposition started a second set of talks on Saturday to address various matters, including the planned Oct 4 march in Islamabad by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The meeting, chaired by National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, aimed to ease tensions in Pakistan's ongoing political crisis. This follows the PTI's plan to march in Islamabad on Oct 4, demanding the release of their founder Imran Khan, which has become a focal point of disagreement between the party and the federal government.

The National Assembly Speaker hoped the discussions would continue in the same "cordial atmosphere" as Friday's meeting. The government delegation included Amir Muqam, Mohsin Naqvi, Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Rana Sanaullah, and Tallal Chaudhry. The opposition delegation consisted of Sherry Rehman, Syed Naveed Qamar, and Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani from the PPP, along with PTI leaders Gohar Ali Khan, Amir Dogar, Asad Qaiser, Salman Akram Raja, and Haleem Adil Sheikh.

On a separate note, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Chief Minister Sohail Afridi vowed to hold the long march on Oct 4, emphasizing the importance of upholding the Constitution and restoring an independent judiciary. He claimed the PTI is Pakistan's largest and most popular political party and stressed that their demands are consistent with the Constitution and the law. Afridi urged PTI leaders to avoid repeating the events of May 9, 2023, in order to prevent further unrest.

The opposition party finalized standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the talks, including not speaking to the media during the discussions and issuing a joint statement afterward. The opposition also proposed that no one from either side would speak to the media during the talks. The opposition alliance's spokesperson acknowledged that the government's views on law and order in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were discussed and a response was prepared for the government side.