Imran Khan not interested in talks despite PM’s offer, says Sanaullah

Warns that PTI founder will suffer losses due to policy of confrontation with state as TTAP accepts dialogue offer

Adviser to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Political Affairs, Senator Rana Sanaullah, has stated that the prime minister offered negotiations to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) after consulting Nawaz Sharif and the establishment, but believes that Imran Khan is not interested in talks.

Speaking to the media, Sanaullah said the Islamabad High Court (IHC) bench had determined the procedure for meetings with the incarcerated former prime minister, which stipulated that there would be no political activity following the meetings. However, he argued that after the meetings, the atmosphere changes, with press conferences held, and even fights breaking out.

Read: Political dialogue stalls as government fails to follow up on PM's offer

The prime minister's adviser noted that Salman Akram Raja assured the court that due procedure would be observed during meetings. If the law is followed, Sanaullah said, there will be no obstacle to meetings, questioning why PTI does not approach the court if jail authorities are not complying with the IHC's order.

Sanaullah said there should be no doubt regarding the government's intentions about the opposition leader. He added that when Shehbaz extended an invitation for negotiations, it was claimed that he did not have the authority.

He said the opposition now claims that when it announces a movement, the government talks about negotiations. The opposition believes its movement will succeed and that the government is trying to trap it through negotiations, he added.

The adviser said the opposition should attempt to paralyse the wheels on February 5 and then talks can resume.

Sanaullah stated his belief that the PTI founder does not want negotiations, pointing out that when PTI is in government, it does not talk to the opposition. He warned that the PTI founder will suffer losses due to a policy of confrontation with the state.

Read More: Sana: No 'minus-Imran' condition for talks

Meanwhile, Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Aeen Pakistan (TTAP) formally accepted the prime minister's offer for political dialogue on December 24. However, no follow-up engagement has taken place so far, leaving the process stalled at the declaratory stage.

Vice Chairman TTAP Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar then stated that the responsibility now squarely lay with the government. He said that if the authorities were not serious about their offer, the opposition had effectively called their bluff.

However, if the intention was genuinely to steer the country out of its political and economic crisis, Khokhar said, his party was ready to play its role in larger national interest.