ISLAMABAD – National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq clarified on Tuesday that the visiting delegation of U.S. Congress members made no mention of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, who remains behind bars, during their recent interactions with Pakistani officials.
In an official statement, Sadiq emphasized that the American lawmakers clearly distanced themselves from Pakistan’s domestic political matters.
This clarification comes in response to allegations made by PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, who claimed he was deliberately excluded from meetings held between government representatives and the U.S. delegation in Pakistan.
The meetings coincided with the ongoing Pakistan Minerals Forum 2025, where American officials held discussions with various stakeholders. Sadiq dismissed Gohar’s claims, stating that both he and PTI Chief Whip Amir Dogar were invited to a dinner arranged for the U.S. delegation.
“It was an opportunity for PTI leaders to engage directly with the very officials they often seek support from,” Sadiq remarked.
He also mentioned that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), a coalition partner in the federal government, had raised concerns about canal-related issues during the meeting. “Around 30 participants brought up the topic of canals, but the opposition failed to utilize the platform to voice their views effectively,” he added.
Sadiq further noted that when PPP formally submitted a resolution regarding the canals, he reminded them that the matter had already been debated in Parliament, and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar had issued a statement on it.
Expressing frustration with incomplete quorums, Sadiq questioned how legislative processes could proceed under such circumstances. He pointed out that production orders had been issued, prisons had been declared sub-jails, and all relevant records were publicly accessible online.
“I support dialogue with the opposition,” Sadiq stated, “but no one can be compelled to engage in talks.”
He also revealed that he had reached out to BNP-M President Akhtar Mengal and was maintaining contact with JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman. “If the opposition is willing, I am ready to invite government members for broader discussions,” he said.
The Speaker also announced a decision not to raise quorum concerns during the question hour. Issuing a warning, he added, “If a no-confidence motion is tabled, it’s likely that some from their own ranks may defect.”
Earlier, PTI Chairman Gohar told reporters that he had received no prior communication or invitation—neither formal nor through WhatsApp—regarding the meeting between U.S. officials and government representatives.
Meanwhile, PTI leader and Senate opposition head Syed Shibli Faraz criticized Sadiq for excluding parliamentary opposition leaders from the meeting, even while inviting other PTI representatives.
Interestingly, PTI’s Atif Khan, who attended the meeting, confirmed that there was no discussion about Imran Khan or his possible release. He stated that he and Dr. Amjad represented PTI at the meeting and had heard that Gohar and Omar Ayub were also invited.
“I’m not sure whether they received invitations or not,” Atif Khan added. “But politicians from various parties and federal ministers were definitely present.”
