Conflicting voices show all is not well in PTI

Party refutes party leaders’ claims of talks with COAS, spymaster

ISLAMABAD:

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) appeared to be embroiled in internal disarray on Saturday, as conflicting and mixed signals emerged regarding its purported talks with the army chief and top spy.
While one faction within the party hints at imminent dialogue with powerful stakeholders, the official party line brushes off such notions as mere speculation.

The buzz about talks gained steam after PTI leader Shehryar Afridi said that incarcerated Imran Khan wanted to engage all stakeholders for a better future but, admitted in the same breath, he hasn’t received any response yet.

Afridi was quoted as saying that PTI would rather engage in discussions with the army chief and DG ISI than with what he termed as "rejected rulers," insinuating that the ruling parties were "backed by the establishment."

Another party leader, Shibli Faraz, echoed his statements, stating that Imran Khan had given the green light for discussions with both the establishment and political parties. Faraz stressed the need to establish the parameters of these talks before convening any meetings.

In line with advocating for dialogue with stakeholders, reports indicated that Faraz acknowledged the reality of both PTI and the establishment. These statements from both Afridi and Faraz emerged shortly after a statement from PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui, who extended an invitation to PTI for talks just a day prior.

However, as the statements started gaining traction, PTI’s Secretary Information Raoof Hasan refuted all such claims with such intensity and annoyance that they seemed to be nothing but a storm in a teacup.

“What should I say when a statement has nothing to do with reality,” PTI secretary information told The Express Tribune, adding that “I don’t have time to comment on such speculative things.”

Hasan expressed his frustration by labelling the party leaders' statements as "ridiculous things" and made it clear that he didn't want to waste any time on them. He went on to suggest that the media should verify its sources before engaging in such matters.

When reminded that PTI leaders were openly expressing their views, Hasan said that “neither the party has issued any such statement nor it intends to as no such development is taking place.”

Ever since Imran was sent to jail, PTI leaders have been busy issuing varying statements on a particular issue and, often, it has been witnessed that different party leaders take different lines on an issue before it’s completely decimated by the official party statement.

Recently, PTI leader Sher Afzal Marwat accused Saudi Arabia along with the US of the alleged regime-change operation through which the PTI claims it was ousted in April 2022. However, soon, the party as well as Imran rebutted the same.

Nevertheless, the efforts to engage political parties and powerful stakeholders in talks with PTI and Imran have been going on for quite some time now from different quarters. Recently, during PM Shehbaz Sharif’s day-long visit to Karachi, business magnate Arif Habib suggested that the PM should “shake two more hands” – one with neighbouring India and another with the incarcerated PTI founder – to promote stability within the nation.

Before Habib, in an ice-breaking development, PTI’s Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur held a meeting with PM Shehbaz and asked him to politically engage with his party’s founder, saying such an engagement will lead to a political solution.

Meanwhile, experts believe that genuine reconciliation requires the government to create a conducive environment to engage Imran, who has been incarcerated in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail over a host of charges ranging from corruption to terrorism, for bringing political stability and achieving economic stability.