Backchannel efforts have significantly improved the prospects for dialogue between the government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), with a majority of PTI parliamentarians, including some recently convicted, advocating for formal negotiations.
National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq is playing a pivotal role in facilitating these talks, maintaining communication with both sides. From the government, figures like PMLN’s Rana Sanaullah have shown willingness to engage with PTI leaders, despite resistance from PTI’s founder, Imran Khan, who remains hesitant to negotiate with government representatives. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has consistently extended offers for dialogue to PTI.
Within PTI, most parliamentarians are now strongly in favor of talks. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has been entrusted with leading efforts to initiate meaningful negotiations. However, concerns persist that Imran Khan might obstruct the process. To counter this, PTI lawmakers are planning to meet Khan in groups at his detention facility to urge him to reconsider his stance.
A PTI parliamentarian claimed that certain non-elected individuals with access to Khan are providing misleading advice, potentially pushing him toward a drastic move like en bloc resignations from the National Assembly. Party members are keen to prevent such an outcome, viewing it as detrimental to their political standing.
Tensions have also surfaced over Khan’s decision to boycott upcoming by-elections for seats vacated due to the conviction or disqualification of PTI MPs. Long-time PTI lawmakers, whose families have contested these constituencies for decades, argue that boycotting would surrender their strongholds to rivals.
The pro-dialogue faction within PTI is placing hope in senior leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi, recently acquitted in three cases related to the May 9 incidents and expected to secure bail in other cases soon. Qureshi is seen as a seasoned politician capable of guiding the party toward constructive engagement.
The Speaker’s latest offer to mediate stems from days of discreet discussions with both sides. A growing consensus among PTI leaders suggests that continued confrontation has proven counterproductive, exacerbating their political challenges rather than resolving them.
