Reconciliation not possible without including Imran, PTI says

PTI leaders on Monday declared that reconciliation with the government was impossible without involving former party chief Imran Khan in discussion. PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja stated that only Imran Khan possessed the ability to bridge the gap between the state and the nation. Raja expressed dismay at the government's refusal to include Imran in future political talks, emphasizing that his opinion was not sought despite the opposition's sincere efforts.

The PTI alleged that the government was unwilling to pursue a collective strategy against terrorism, insisting that their participation in negotiations was genuine. The opposition demanded that the government respect the recommendations of a jirga held by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assembly, which proposed solutions to the terrorism problem.

PTI also requested that the government take into account the opinions of tribal leaders. The government reportedly complicated the situation, refusing to include a strategy against terrorism in the agreement. Talks between the government and opposition on Friday and Saturday failed due to differences over counterterrorism policies and access to Imran Khan.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi attributed the failure to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, while Information Minister Attaullah Tarar criticized PTI representatives for hypocrisy. PTI demanded immediate access to Imran for consultations, but the government refused to include this in the proposed agreement. Despite warnings from the federal government, the PTI proceeded with its protest march on Sunday, which the government threatened to suppress with governor’s rule or emergency measures.