SWAT: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has accused the government of failing to show seriousness in negotiations and demanded a meeting with PTI founder Imran Khan to move the dialogue process forward.
Speaking to the media during his visit to Swat, Gohar said five points had been discussed during talks between the government and PTI, but no final agreement had been reached. He said negotiations could take place even during wars and urged the government to demonstrate its sincerity by arranging a meeting with Imran Khan.
Gohar made the remarks during visits to the residence of Dr. Anwar Ali in Qambar and MPA Fazal Hakim Khan in Mingora. Earlier, he visited the families of missing MPA Sultani Room and PTI worker Khursheed Dada and expressed concern over their alleged disappearances.
He also conveyed sympathy to Fazal Hakim Khan over the disappearance of his nephew, Adnan Khan, who reportedly went missing from Gilgit-Baltistan. Gohar condemned such incidents and called for cases involving missing political workers and citizens to be handled according to the law.
PTI Says Islamabad Long March Will Continue
Gohar said PTI remained a peaceful political party and described peaceful protest as a democratic right.
“Our people are peaceful and they should not be fired upon,” he said, warning that authorities would be responsible if firing occurred.
He also rejected the impression that PTI’s planned Islamabad long march had been called off, saying the protest would continue. According to Gohar, the government would determine the route and PTI would proceed along that route.
He said the government still had an opportunity to engage in serious negotiations and resolve political differences through dialogue.
Five Points Remain Unresolved
Discussing the negotiations, Gohar said PTI had presented five points but the two sides failed to reach agreement on the draft proposals. He accused the government of adopting a rigid position.
He said PTI had also sought a meeting between the prime minister and the opposition leader, but claimed that the government did not agree to the proposal.
According to Gohar, the government raised terrorism during the talks, while PTI expressed willingness to cooperate in developing a joint strategy against terrorism.
He called for a consensus-based narrative and strategy involving political forces across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Sindh and Punjab.
Gohar Criticizes Federal Role in KP
Gohar argued that terrorism could not be eliminated through governor’s rule or the imposition of an emergency.
He also alleged that court orders were being ignored and claimed that some ministers and members of the provincial assembly were missing.
Questioning the security and administrative situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he asked how peace could be maintained if the chief secretary and inspector general of police were allegedly taking instructions from elsewhere.
He further alleged that deputy commissioners were imposing Section 144 on the instructions of outside authorities.
The PTI chairman accused the federal government of interfering in the affairs of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and claimed that such interference had weakened the provincial administration.
Warning of Assembly Boycott
Referring to PTI’s political position in Punjab, Gohar claimed that the party had received 20 million votes in the province but alleged that its mandate had been taken away.
He said 76 MNAs, 25 senators and 197 MPAs from Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would boycott proceedings.
Gohar said PTI had formed a negotiation committee in consultation with its coalition partners and had attempted to resolve political disputes through democratic and political means. However, he claimed that none of the party’s core demands had made meaningful progress.
He accused the government of discussing negotiations while simultaneously taking steps that increased political tensions.
Gohar warned that PTI would completely boycott Parliament, the Senate and provincial assemblies if what he described as unconstitutional measures were taken.
He said such actions could push Pakistan toward further political instability and crisis.
PTI Will Not Leave KP Government
Gohar also alleged that a situation resembling governor’s rule was being created in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa without formally imposing it.
However, he made clear that PTI would neither leave the provincial government nor dissolve the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly.
Reiterating PTI’s position on terrorism, Gohar called on all political forces to sit together and develop a consensus strategy to combat militancy.
He again demanded an end to what he described as federal interference in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a meeting between Imran Khan and government representatives, and meaningful negotiations to resolve the country’s political disputes.