Govt, opposition conclude first round of talks ahead of PTI’s Oct 4 march

Second round of negotiations will be held at 2pm on Saturday in NA speaker’s chamber

ISLAMABAD:

The first round of talks between the government and opposition concluded on Friday, with the two sides set to meet again at 2pm on Saturday in the National Assembly (NA) speaker’s chamber, according to the NA Secretariat. The meeting, chaired by NA Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, included representatives of the government, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the opposition.

The negotiations come amid continued tensions following PTI’s announcement of an Islamabad march. Although the protest was postponed from September 27 to October 4, the standoff between the federal and provincial governments remains unresolved.

According to the NA spokesperson, detailed discussions were held on the country’s political situation, with the government, PPP and opposition apprising each other of their respective positions. Various matters were discussed in detail and with patience, the spokesperson said.

The second round of negotiations will be held at 2pm on Saturday in the speaker’s chamber, the spokesperson added. The government and PPP stressed the need to resolve national issues with the opposition through negotiations.

According to the statement, the NA Speaker played a key role in facilitating negotiations between the government, PPP and the opposition.

Federal minister Amir Muqam, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Political and Public Affairs Rana Sanaullah, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry attended the meeting. Senator Sherry Rehman and NA members Naveed Qamar and Ijaz Hussain Jakhrani also participated.

Opposition leaders PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, Malik Amir Dogar and former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser, as well as Salman Akram Raja, attended the meeting.

The round of talks resumed after the Friday prayers as the PTI delegation returned to the speaker’s office. Special prayers for the success of the negotiations were also offered at Parliament after Friday prayers.

حکومتی وفد اور اپوزیشن کے درمیان مذاکرات سپیکر چیمبر میں جاری pic.twitter.com/qX6JZNawqD

— Barrister Gohar Khan (@BarristerGohar) October 2, 2026

The negotiations later went into another break as members of the government and PTI committees held separate consultations. The government delegation remained in the conference room while the PTI delegation moved to the meeting room, with both negotiating committees holding consultations over the situation.

The government committee also deliberated on PTI’s demands. The PTI delegation subsequently returned to the conference room and negotiations between the two sides resumed.

چیئرمین پی ٹی آئی بیرسٹر گوہر خان کی حکومتی وفد کے ساتھ مذاکرات کے بعد پارلیمنٹ میں غیر رسمی گفتگو۔ pic.twitter.com/Ay6ufT2Ez0

— Barrister Gohar Khan (@BarristerGohar) October 2, 2026

Talking to the media after the talks, Barrister Gohar Khan said the first round of negotiations had been completed, with both sides apprising each other of their respective positions.

“Our talks were held in a very good atmosphere and the second round will be held tomorrow at 2pm,” he said, expressing hope that the process would produce better results.

چیئرمین پی ٹی آئی بیرسٹر گوہر خان کی حکومتی وفد کے ساتھ مذاکرات کے بعد پارلیمنٹ میں غیر رسمی گفتگو۔ pic.twitter.com/Ay6ufT2Ez0

— Barrister Gohar Khan (@BarristerGohar) October 2, 2026

TTAP leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Allama Raja Nasir Abbas also spoke about the proceedings, saying discussions had been held on the opposition’s long march as well as its demands.

“We discussed the long march and our demands. They also conveyed their concerns to us, so it was decided that we would meet again tomorrow,” he said.

He said the important thing was that the dialogue process would continue on Saturday, where the sides would decide on the future course of action.

Another member of the opposition team, Asad Qaiser, said there had been no breakthrough during the meeting and that both sides had presented their respective positions.

Asked whether the opposition was postponing the long march scheduled for Oct 4, Qaiser categorically denied it.

“We have only presented our position so far, and we need to consult further on the matter,” he said.

Sanaullah hopes talks end political deadlock

Meanwhile, Advisor to Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah said that the first round of talks between the government and opposition had been held in a cordial atmosphere, with both sides agreeing not to make statements to the media that could affect the next round of discussions.

“In the first session of the dialogue, we put forth our demands regarding how the government expects PTI to govern Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and assist the federal government with special regard to the ongoing war against terrorism in the province,” Sanaullah said while speaking to private television programme Naya Pakistan.

Regarding the PTI’s planned long march on Oct 4, Sanaullah said the government had reiterated that it expected the party to adopt a political discourse to voice its grievances rather than resort to violence.

Outlining the discussions, Sanaullah said PTI leaders had raised their reservations about ongoing cases and other grievances while also highlighting matters concerning meetings with PTI founder Imran Khan and his treatment.

He said the federal government had directly communicated with the K-P government on matters of importance that required a detailed response from the provincial administration.

Asked about the government’s priority during the discussions, Sanaullah said, “Security remained at the top” of the agenda.

“They are bound by the Constitution and law to assist the government in security-related matters,” he said, adding that proceeding with the long march would be a “violation”.

Speaking about the imposition of governor’s rule or an emergency, Sanaullah said the Constitution provided for such measures if a provincial government ceased to cooperate with the federal government.

The PML-N leader said Articles 232 and 234 defined the powers granted by the Constitution in this regard, but described it as “definitely a despicable move”.

He said the government did not care who the chief minister was as long as the person remained committed to the responsibilities attached to the office.

Responding to a question about whether the government would concede to PTI demands, Sanaullah said the issues raised by the party were based on political struggle, but it could not undermine the sovereignty of the country to have its demands met.

He expressed hope that the dialogue with TTAP and PTI would end the deadlock and pave the way for a resolution of the conflict.

Yousufzai rejects rumours of long march postponement

During the same programme, TTAP spokesperson Akhunzada Yousafzai dismissed rumours about the postponement of the long march, saying the opposition had neither given the government any guarantee nor any assurance that the march would be called off.

“Many proposals were placed on the table. We have said that when we meet again tomorrow at 2pm, we will present our views on these matters,” he said.

He said the opposition had not moved “an inch” from its demands, describing them as its political and democratic right, while expressing optimism about a positive outcome from the negotiations.

Strongly condemning attempts to link the long march with the issue of terrorism, Yousafzai said: “We all love Pakistan. After 70 years, we should not be issuing certificates of patriotism to one another or declaring each other traitors.”

Asked why TTAP chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai had not attended the meeting, the spokesperson said Achakzai had provided his input for Friday’s meeting and might attend the next phase of the negotiations if the need arose.

Ahead of the negotiations, Barrister Gohar said whether the party’s planned long march went ahead would depend on the government’s attitude. He said PTI was going into negotiations with the government in good faith and had set no preconditions for the talks.

Gohar said the party would first listen to the government before presenting its own position. He said governor’s rule or an emergency was not a solution to the long march, adding that a minister had said on Friday that governor’s rule could be imposed even without the march.

اپوزیشن وفد کی قائد حزبِ اختلاف سینیٹ علامہ راجہ ناصر عباس کی سربراہی میں حکومتی مذاکراتی کمیٹی سے مذاکرات جاری۔ pic.twitter.com/T1qWhxcgml

— Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayin-e-Pakistan (@TTAP_OFFICIAL) October 2, 2026

Gohar said whether the long march took place would depend on the government’s attitude. He thanked Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) for accepting an invitation to the All Parties Conference (APC).

Gohar said free elections, inflation and the people’s right to govern were among their demands, adding that the party was seeking justice every day. He said PTI had not received justice from either Parliament or the judiciary.

چیئرمین پی ٹی آئی بیرسٹر گوہر خان کی وفد کے ہمراہ جماعت اسلامی کو آل پارٹیز کانفرنس (APC) میں شرکت کی دعوت دینے کے بعد میڈیا سے گفتگو۔ pic.twitter.com/k8nihx0Eee

— Barrister Gohar Khan (@BarristerGohar) October 2, 2026

The PTI chairman said the party had previously cooperated in the fight against terrorism and would continue to do so. He also said the federal government had never formally written to the provincial government to inform it about any issue.

Speaking to the media before the government-opposition negotiations began, Talal urged political parties not to create problems for the country by acting according to the wishes of any one party. He expressed hope that opposition parties would withdraw their call for a long march, saying the problems faced by ordinary Pakistanis, rather than those of political parties, should come to the fore.

Talal urged political parties not to create problems for the country by being driven by a single desire. “May Allah make it so that the opposition parties withdraw the call for the long march and the problems of ordinary Pakistanis should come to the fore, not those of political parties,” he added.

Separately, Sanaullah said matters concerning the courts had to be decided by the courts, while political matters could be resolved through dialogue. He said the two sides could discuss whatever issues they wanted at the negotiating table and that the government would respond in accordance with political principles and the law.

Sanaullah said it was not appropriate to suggest that one could write to the prime minister but could not meet him, adding that such thinking harmed political tolerance.

The government’s joint negotiating committee held an informal meeting before the talks, with members discussing legal aspects of the negotiations and other issues expected to be raised with PTI.

The talks followed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s decision to engage the opposition, with the government and the PPP forming a joint negotiation committee. The move came as PTI prepared for its October 4 long march.

Opposition seeks political consensus

Ahead of the formal talks, PTI and other opposition leaders met JI Chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman at the residence of JI leader Mian Muhammad Aslam.

The meeting was attended by Barrister Gohar, Abbas, Qaiser and Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, while the JI chief was accompanied by JI leaders Liaqat Baloch, Mian Muhammad Aslam and Nasrullah Randhawa. The leaders discussed the prevailing political situation, the proposed all-parties conference and the October 4 long march.

اسلام آباد:

قائدِ حزبِ اختلاف سینیٹ سینیٹر علامہ راجہ ناصر عباس جعفری کی سربراہی میں تحریک تحفظ آئین پاکستان اور پاکستان تحریکِ انصاف کے قائدین پر مشتمل وفد نے امیر جماعتِ اسلامی پاکستان حافظ نعیم الرحمن سے ملاقات کی۔

ملاقات کے دوران ملک کی مجموعی سیاسی صورتحال، جمہوری عمل،… pic.twitter.com/6QarZn5ElD

— Barrister Gohar Khan (@BarristerGohar) October 2, 2026

Speaking to the media after the meeting, Abbas said the All Parties Conference’s (APC) agenda was to find a way out of the country’s crisis and expressed hope that all political parties would join efforts to address the situation.

Hafiz Naeem said JI had accepted the invitation to attend the APC and would support consensus on a national agenda covering peace, law and order and the economy. “Pakistan belongs to no one party or institution,” he said, calling for an end to bloodshed.

The JI chief opposed governor’s rule or emergency in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and any move to suspend the Constitution. He called for meaningful negotiations between the government and PTI and said concerns over PTI founder Imran’s health should be addressed.

Read: Govt, allies strike conciliatory note as PTI firms up march plan

Hafiz Naeem also called for the implementation of Supreme Court decisions in letter and spirit and demanded the release of women arrested in connection with the protests, including Imran’s sisters. He also called for there to be no obstacles to bail for PTI leaders.

Barrister Gohar said the opposition had approached JI as a united political front and would enter talks with the government without preconditions. “We will meet the government with complete sincerity,” Gohar said.

He said the final decision on the long march and its next steps would depend on the government’s attitude. Gohar also said the K-P government had not received its due NFC funds despite increasing the capacity of its police force.

Government calls for dialogue

Also before the talks, Tariq said the prime minister had invited the opposition to negotiations and that the government’s doors remained open for dialogue. He said the government would enter the talks with positive expectations and that dialogue was preferable to confrontation.

He urged the opposition to adopt a political approach and avoid an “onslaught” on Islamabad, while calling on the K-P government to play its role in countering terrorism.

Talal said the government had never hesitated to hold talks and that ego had never come in the way of negotiations. “Both the PML-N and PPP have always tried to resolve issues through dialogue,” he said, expressing hope that the opposition would not miss the opportunity for negotiations.

Tensions escalate

The talks came after weeks of escalating tensions between the federal government and the PTI-led K-P government over the party’s planned October 4 march on Islamabad. PTI had initially announced the protest for September 27 but later postponed it to October 4, while the Centre had increasingly discussed constitutional options, including governor’s rule and emergency, citing the deteriorating security situation in the province.

The government and PPP subsequently formed a six-member committee to engage the PTI, with the opposition also signalling willingness to negotiate but insisting on dialogue without preconditions. Barrister Gohar confirmed that the two sides would meet at Speaker Ayaz Sadiq’s office, while maintaining that the long march would proceed unless the party’s concerns were addressed.

The prospect of federal intervention in K-P had become a major point of contention, with federal ministers citing the province’s security situation, while PTI leaders rejected governor’s rule or emergency and called for political engagement instead. K-P Chief Minister Sohail Afridi also said the October 4 protest would remain peaceful and rejected warnings of federal intervention.