Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Gohar Ali Khan on Tuesday rejected the federal government’s proposal to convene a meeting of the country’s so-called “top five figures” to address the ongoing political crisis.
He was responding to remarks by Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah, who had emphasised trust-building and sustained engagement among Pakistan’s most powerful leaders. The senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader had earlier said that meaningful progress was impossible without confidence-building at the highest level.
Speaking to reporters at the Dahgal checkpoint near Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, Gohar said the proposal itself signalled a dead end. He stated that if negotiations had reached a stage where only the top five figures were involved, it should be taken as a clear refusal.
“Neither can the top five leaders meet, nor is there any need for such a meeting,” he said.
Gohar stressed that PTI had not walked away from dialogue. However, he questioned the logic of talks that excluded the party’s founder, Imran Khan. He noted that PTI leaders visit Adiala Jail every Tuesday but do not meet with him.
Read: DG ISPR Says PTI Founder Used Ex-ISI Chief Faiz Hameed for Politics
Imran Khan has remained incarcerated since August 2023. He faces multiple cases, ranging from corruption to terrorism, following his removal from office through a no-confidence vote in April 2022. Gohar said access to the former prime minister had been deliberately restricted and that no one had met him for over a month.
PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja also called on the government to clarify its proposal. Speaking at the Factory checkpoint, he said talks would yield no outcome without Imran Khan’s direct involvement. He added that discussions among four or five leaders would achieve nothing.
PTI leader Ali Zafar said the current environment did not support negotiations. He alleged that authorities were registering new cases against PTI leaders and subjecting party workers to mistreatment. He urged the government to create conditions conducive to dialogue.
Separately, PML-N Senator Sanaullah warned that PTI and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government would face consequences if Imran Khan continued what he described as a confrontational approach toward the state. He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had extended the offer of talks after consulting the establishment and PML-N President Nawaz Sharif.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, however, said discussions on negotiations had remained limited to media statements. Speaking outside Parliament House, he said no serious progress had taken place. He added that the government would accept any negotiator nominated by the opposition, including Mahmood Khan Achakzai.
