ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party convened its core committee on Thursday to deliberate on initiating talks with the government, days after its founding Chairman Imran Khan postponed his call for a civil disobedience movement.
According to party insiders, the meeting will address the country’s volatile political situation, potential collaborations with other opposition parties, and allegations of pressure on members of the Punjab Assembly.
We News cited party sources reported that the PTI’s legal team is also expected to brief the committee on cases involving Imran Khan and discuss legal cases following the November 26 protest march.
Khan, who previously threatened to launch a civil disobedience campaign starting December 14, softened his stance earlier this week by forming a five-member committee tasked with negotiating with the federal government on two primary demands: a judicial inquiry into the incidents of May 9, 2023, and November 26, 2024, as well as the release of detained PTI workers.
In a statement, the government welcomed the formation of PTI’s negotiation committee but stressed that any demands must be tabled during discussions and not imposed as preconditions.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s advisor, Rana Sanaullah, said a government committee for talks would be formed following his return from an official trip to Egypt later this week.
He added that while PTI’s Sunday deadline for meeting its demands was unrealistic, preliminary discussions could begin before then.
“If the PTI insists on pursuing a civil disobedience movement, let them proceed—they will fail. Our focus is on advancing meaningful dialogue to a logical conclusion,” Sanaullah said.
Imran Khan postpones civil disobedience
Earlier on Tuesday, Aleema Khan, Imran Khan’s sister, spoke to the media after visiting him at Adiala Jail, where he is currently detained. She said that Imran Khan deferred his call for civil disobedience movement for a while. She said had warned of asking overseas Pakistanis to halt remittances to Pakistan if his demands were not met.
“Overseas Pakistanis are ready to stop sending money, but PTI members have advised him to wait to avoid causing harm to the country,” she said. “Imran remains deeply concerned about the nation and is willing to wait a few more days before taking decisive action.”
Initially announced via a post on Imran Khan’s social media account, the civil disobedience threat prompted sharp rebukes from government ministers during a National Assembly session.
They urged PTI to abandon provocative actions and work toward creating a constructive environment for dialogue.
