Govt rejects negotiations with PTI under civil disobedience threat

For the first time, pleasant breeze came from the opposition but talks cannot be held at gunpoint: Khawaja Asif

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The government has rejected the prospect of negotiations with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), despite threats from party founder Imran Khan to launch a civil disobedience movement unless his demands are met.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, speaking in the National Assembly on Tuesday, said talks could not be held under duress. "For the first time, a pleasant breeze came from the opposition [...] but talks cannot be held at gunpoint," he stated.

Khan, currently incarcerated, had earlier posted on X, outlining his demands, including a judicial inquiry into the May 9, 2023, riots and the November 26 crackdown on PTI protesters. He also called for the release of the party's "political prisoners".

To facilitate talks, Khan named a five-member committee, which included prominent PTI figures such as Omar Ayub Khan and Ali Amin Gandapur.

In his speech, Asif criticised the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government for focusing on marches to Islamabad instead of addressing local security issues.

"It is the provincial government's duty to establish law and peace," he said. Asif also labelled PTI’s negotiation committee as "meaningless", arguing that without sincerity, such efforts were futile.

The defence minister also condemned PTI’s failure to acknowledge the deaths of security personnel during recent protests. "Who martyred the security officials [...] there should be no selection in condemnation," he remarked.

Recalling his own time in prison, Asif emphasised resilience, claiming, "I spent twelve nights at the prayer rug, but did not beg."

While the government has ruled out any immediate talks, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's aide Rana Sanaullah reiterated the government’s willingness to negotiate.

"The parliamentary system cannot work unless the opposition leader and the leader of the house engage in dialogue," he said. He noted that a committee had been formed to discuss talks, but PTI had yet to approach the government formally.

PTI lawmakers, for their part, have expressed a willingness to negotiate, though they insist they will not "beg". Sher Afzal Marwat stressed that any talks must begin with clear terms of reference.

PTI’s Ali Muhammad Khan, meanwhile, condemned the government's response to protests in Islamabad, claiming the current administration "fired bullets" at peaceful demonstrators. He criticised the government’s approach, adding, "If you think you can run the country by excluding Imran Khan, try it."