PTI-government backchannel talks fail to break deadlock

Backchannel contacts between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders and government officials have failed to produce a breakthrough as the party continues to maintain its call for a march towards Islamabad on September 27.

People familiar with the discussions said a deep lack of trust between the two sides remained a major obstacle to reaching an understanding. The contacts took place amid growing tensions surrounding the proposed protest.

According to sources familiar with the talks, discussions focused on whether the situation could be eased if the PTI agreed to cancel its September 27 protest and assured the authorities that it would not adopt a future protest strategy involving prolonged sit-ins, road blockades or direct confrontations with law-enforcement agencies.

The authorities reportedly conveyed that such assurances could create room for concessions or relaxation in certain matters concerning PTI founder Imran Khan and his family.

The issues discussed reportedly included the possibility of shifting Bushra Bibi to Bani Gala, arrangements for moving Imran Khan to a hospital for medical treatment and providing greater facilitation for meetings with him.

However, the proposed concessions were linked to an understanding that the facilities available to Imran Khan and his wife would not be used for political activities.

Sources said meetings with Imran Khan could be facilitated under applicable rules, but political mobilisation or political activity from inside the prison would not be acceptable.

Despite the contacts, no agreement could be reached. The trust deficit between the two sides continued to prevent progress in the discussions.

Recent developments also indicate that the PTI’s practical protest strategy for September 27 may be more heavily focused on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, despite the party’s public statements suggesting a broader nationwide mobilisation.

According to PTI sources, the party’s main protest activity is expected to originate from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Workers in Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan have generally been asked to stage protests in their respective areas, where the party faces comparatively greater restrictions and administrative pressure.

PTI workers in areas of Punjab bordering Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have reportedly been told that they can coordinate their activities with the campaign being organised in the province.

Sources said the PTI’s Islamabad organisation had not been given specific instructions to independently organise a major rally from within the federal capital.

The main focus of the planned march is expected to remain on mobilisation from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The manner in which protesters will proceed towards Islamabad will depend on the situation on the ground, according to people familiar with the party’s planning.

Publicly, however, PTI leaders continue to insist that the September 27 programme will go ahead as planned.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has repeatedly said that there has been no change in the date of the protest. PTI leaders have described the march as part of their ongoing campaign for the release of Imran Khan and to press for the party’s other political demands.