Islamabad: Jailed former prime minister Imran Khan-founded Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's Leader of Opposition in National Assembly, Omar Ayub Khan, has ruled out the possibility of resumption of the dialogue between the party and the government, a news report said on Sunday. "The chapter of talks is now closed," Geo News quoted Ayub saying on Saturday.
Ayub said political negotiations were not based on mere wishes but required firm commitment which the government failed to demonstrate. Censuring the coalition government's approach to talks, which now seem to have collapsed, the senior PTI leader said his party’s committee had initiated discussions in good faith. "However, the other side neither displayed goodwill nor intent, leading to a deadlock."
Ayub's remarks come as negotiations between the PTI and the ruling government, which began in late December after months of heightened political tensions, failed to witness notable progress despite the two sides holding three negotiation sessions. The PTI, which also presented its written charter of demands, refused to attend the fourth round of talks citing the government's failure to form a judicial commission to probe the May 9 riots and November 2024 protests.
Since then, Khan's party has hinted at agitation and even held a rally in Swabi City of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Saturday to observe 'Black Day' to protest the alleged rigging of last year's general elections. With the future of parleys left uncertain, a spokesman for the National Assembly has clarified that Speaker Ayaz Sadiq had not formally invited the PTI for negotiations but merely said that as the custodian of the House, his doors remained open to all members.
Responding to Ayub's statement, the spokesman said a formal invitation for talks would only be extended if requested by either the government or the opposition. He reiterated the speaker’s role was to facilitate dialogue and that his chamber and residence remained accessible to all lawmakers.
Separately, echoing Ayub's remarks on the future of talks, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Irfan Siddiqui said the government's negotiation committee had become "practically non-functional and ineffective". In a statement on X, Siddiqui said regardless of whether the committee was formally dissolved, it was no longer operational.
He noted that the PTI unilaterally withdrew from the negotiation process and subsequently rejected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's offer to reconsider their stance. The senator accused the PTI of returning to its "home ground of violent protests" and said the government might reassess its options if the party later decided to engage in talks.
Meanwhile, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan clarified the party was not seeking intervention from any country, including the United States, for the release of the jailed former prime minister.
"We are not asking any country, including the US, for Khan's release. He has made no deal and will not make any deal. "As Khan himself stated, we are negotiating not for a deal, but for Pakistan and democracy," Gohar said in a statement.
