Fourth round of talks postponed after PTI skips meeting

A scheduled meeting of the government’s talks committee was postponed on Tuesday after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) representatives failed to attend.

Speaker of the National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq announced that the committee would remain intact despite the lack of participation, Express News reported.

Speaking before the meeting, Sadiq stated that all members were invited, and it was hoped that the opposition would attend.

“We waited for 45 minutes, but received a message that they would not come,” he said, adding that PTI leaders had informed him they would consult their top leadership before responding.

Sadiq emphasised that the absence of the opposition made further discussions meaningless, but reaffirmed his commitment to facilitating dialogue.

“My doors remain open, and I hope talks can proceed from both sides,” he said.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, present at the meeting, said the government had prepared responses to PTI’s demands and was eager to move the dialogue forward. “We came ready to discuss their concerns, but without their presence, how can we respond?” he remarked.

The government remains optimistic about resolving political differences through negotiations, but the delay marks another setback in the efforts to bridge the divide between the ruling coalition and the opposition.

PTI refuses to attend talks despite NA speaker's efforts

Earlier, the PTI had refused to participate in a meeting scheduled for Tuesday despite efforts by National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq to engage the opposition in dialogue, Express News reported.

According to sources, Sadiq reached out to Leader of the Opposition and PTI’s negotiation committee head Omar Ayub over a phone call, inviting the party to join the discussions. He stressed the importance of resolving political differences through dialogue and urged PTI to take part in the talks.

“Dialogue and negotiations are the only way to resolve issues. Solutions can be found through meaningful discussions,” Sadiq reportedly told Ayub.

However, Ayub informed the speaker about PTI’s decision, dictated by party founder Imran Khan, to boycott the meeting. He highlighted the government’s failure to address PTI’s demands and accused it of using delaying tactics.

“The government has been stalling on our demands. Without the formation of a judicial commission, there can be no progress in negotiations,” Ayub told Sadiq.