PTI may postpone long march if talks progress

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) may consider postponing the date of its planned long march if the government makes meaningful progress in ongoing negotiations, according to sources familiar with a meeting of the party’s political and core committees.

The meeting was held after the first round of talks between the government and the opposition. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan briefed members on the discussions with the government, while Salman Akram Raja reportedly told participants that there appeared to be a complete plan for imposing an emergency.

According to sources, most participants favoured continuing the dialogue process. They suggested that if the government demonstrated positive progress, the party could consider moving the march to a later date rather than cancelling it altogether.

Some members believed that a possible meeting between Pashtun nationalist leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen chief Allama Raja Nasir Abbas with PTI founder Imran Khan could help find a way forward. Others suggested that PTI leaders should also accompany them during any such meeting.

Participants also agreed that party leaders should avoid making public statements about the negotiations while the dialogue process was underway. However, some members criticised statements made by Rana Sanaullah and Sherry Rehman in the media, saying such remarks were unhelpful to the talks.

The meeting also reviewed Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s briefing on terrorism during the negotiations, along with his statements concerning the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government.

According to sources, participants agreed that communication and coordination between the provincial and federal governments needed to be maintained.

Some members further proposed that if an emergency were imposed, lawmakers from the National Assembly and provincial assemblies should consider resigning. The proposals and views expressed during the meeting are part of internal party deliberations and do not necessarily represent final decisions by the PTI leadership.