A day after incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan issued an ultimatum warning of a civil disobedience movement unless his “legitimate demands” are met, Prime Minister’s aide on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah hinted at potential progress in negotiations with the opposition party.
During an interview on a local news channel on Friday, Sanaullah indicated that talks between the government and PTI could make headway in the next couple of days, following efforts by the National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq to facilitate dialogue.
Imran Khan, in a post on X, had set a deadline of December 22 for the government to meet his key demands, which include the release of under-trial political prisoners and a judicial investigation into the May 9 incidents and the November 26 crackdown on PTI protesters.
He warned that if these demands were not addressed by Sunday, PTI would initiate the first phase of its civil disobedience movement, starting with a “boycott of remittances.”
Sanaullah’s remarks came amidst an ongoing debate over the potential for talks between the government and PTI, which has dominated political discussions since Imran Khan formed a negotiation committee.
While reports surfaced earlier this week about an agreement to use the parliamentary forum for dialogue, PTI’s Asad Qaiser denied any formal negotiations had taken place during his meeting with the NA speaker, which he clarified was for condolences, not talks.
Sanaullah stressed that while all issues are open for discussion, there is no guarantee that the government will accept all PTI demands. “If they force us to accept these demands, what is the point of talks?” he remarked.
He also responded to questions about the potential impact of the Al-Qadir Trust case verdict, set to be announced on December 23, stating that he did not believe the case’s outcome would affect ongoing or future talks.
Meanwhile, PTI spokesperson Sheikh Waqas Akram has clarified that while his party had formed a committee for negotiations, it was the government’s responsibility to initiate talks.
“An impression is being given that our party has surrendered,” Akram said, adding that PTI would not make the first move. He stressed that while engagements between the government and PTI have occurred, they should not be called negotiations.
Imran Khan had earlier expressed frustration, stating that PTI’s offer to negotiate had been “ridiculed” and portrayed as a sign of weakness. He reiterated that the offer was made in the broader national interest and that if the government was uninterested in talks, PTI would proceed with its planned civil disobedience movement.
