Govt, Barrister Gohar reject reported 'firm and final offer' made to PTI to reconstitute ECP

The federal government and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Friday both categorically dismissed the report of an alleged offer made to the party to reconstitute the Election Commission of Pakistan for ensuring the smooth functioning of democracy.

The categoric denunciations came to the fore after senior journalist Mohammad Mallick claimed on his programme ‘Khabar Muhammad Malick Kay Saath’ a day ago that a "firm and final" offer was made to the PTI to help make democracy functional in the country.

According to Mallick, two decisions were taken at the "highest level" and conveyed to the party, allegedly including the PTI’s return to parliament and committees, participation in parliamentary procedures, and giving “a shape of functional democracy" in return for a promise that the ECP would be reconstituted and laws would be amended to make the next elections free and fair.  Additionally, the government was ready to hold elections a year before the stipulated time, Mallick had claimed.

However, both government and PTI leaders rejected the claims as incorrect. In a post on X, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar termed the reports “absolutely false”.

He added, “I don’t know how these stories are cooked up every few days. Strongly rebutted.”

Additionally, Minister of State for Law and Justice Barrister Aqeel also supported his cabinet colleague’s statement.

“This is absolutely ‘fake news’ — no such offer has been made whatsoever! I would urge you to check again with whatever ‘sources’ you might claim to have gotten this false information from.”

He further wrote, “The only offer made thus far has been of ‘talks’ between political parties and nothing else, with no conditions and/or preconditions. Hence, we must refrain from stating things that are not correct.”

Meanwhile, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan also rejected any suggestion of an offer from the government while addressing a press conference at Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa House, calling it a false narrative.

“It was said yesterday that the government had made an offer to us that elections would be held after two years and that we should agree to these terms, otherwise not. This is completely false — nothing of the sort has happened. These are all rumours,” he said.