'There is still time' to resolve political crisis through dialogue: PTI chairman

Barrister Gohar says Imran Khan's rearrest derailed talks, despite initial discussions aimed at making progress

While blaming Imran Khan's arrest for the failure of talks, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan offered the government the opportunity to curtail the recent political turmoil and said that 'there is still time' for matters to be resolved amicably through continued dialogue.

Speaking during an interview to a local news channel, Gohar stated, "We had established some initial contacts," but refrained from providing further details about the meetings. He said these discussions aimed to settle the political disputes between the government and PTI.

His comments came in response to speculations about a possible "deal" between the two sides, with some government sources hinting that progress was made towards resolving key issues, including the release of PTI founder Imran Khan.

However, Gohar firmly blamed the government for the failure of the negotiations, denying allegations against Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, which were said to have hindered the talks.

"We have had some discussions and were hoping to make progress. All sides should realise their responsibility and respect each other," he said. However, he added that "there is still time" for matters to be resolved amicably via continued dialogue.

The PTI leader pointed to the rearrest of Imran Khan as the key reason for the breakdown of the talks. Khan was re-arrested after securing bail in the Toshakhana case, an event that Gohar suggested severely impacted the potential for an agreement.

The PTI's protest in Islamabad, which began on November 24 and ended abruptly on November 27, intensified the political crisis. The protests, which turned violent, left four law enforcement officers dead, while the PTI claims at least 12 of its workers were killed and about 1,000 arrested.

Despite this violence, PTI has maintained that it was the government’s refusal to engage in meaningful talks that led to the unrest. Government officials, however, have denied using live ammunition and insisted that the deaths of the law enforcers were a result of the violent nature of the protests.

Ali Muhammad Khan, another PTI leader, also weighed in on the dialogue, saying that Imran Khan has not closed the door on negotiations and claimed that the PTI had formed a committee to explore further discussions.

Speaking on Express News' programme Centre Stage, he remarked, “If dialogue progresses, it’s a good sign. In my personal opinion, dialogue is the only way forward; there is no other solution. No party wants to see Pakistan in ruins.”