PTI-government talks end without agreement on long march

Negotiations between the government and opposition failed to produce a final agreement on Saturday as both sides remained divided over the PTI’s planned long march.

The talks, chaired by National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, continued for several hours after an inconclusive first round on Friday. PTI leader Asad Qaiser later confirmed that the negotiations ended without a breakthrough.

The main dispute centred on which side should take the first step to ease tensions. The government wanted the PTI to call off the October 4 march, while the opposition sought a meeting with PTI founder Imran Khan before making any decision on the protest.

According to sources, the government had agreed to several opposition demands during the negotiations. These reportedly included facilitating a meeting between opposition leaders and Imran Khan, considering the release of some detained PTI leaders and workers, and reviewing complaints about restrictions on political activities.

An understanding was also reportedly reached to examine the Supreme Court’s August order concerning Imran Khan’s treatment at a private hospital.

However, the emerging agreement hit a hurdle after opposition leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai maintained that any decision to cancel the march required approval from Imran Khan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi.

Achakzai subsequently contacted PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Asad Qaiser and stressed that no final announcement should be made before consultations with Imran Khan.

Opposition alliance spokesperson Akhundzada Hussain Ahmed Yousufzai said the delegation wanted to meet Afridi first to brief him on the progress of the negotiations and obtain his response.

The talks resumed after Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi consulted senior government leadership over the draft understanding. The government delegation included federal ministers and advisers, while the opposition side comprised PTI and allied leaders.

The negotiations were held amid heightened tensions between the federal government and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa administration over the planned march. The government has also warned of possible measures against the provincial government if the protest moves towards Islamabad.