Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shaukat Yousafzai emphasized on Monday that Imran Khan’s potential conviction would not disrupt the ongoing discussions with the federal government. He reiterated PTI’s commitment to dialogue rather than confrontation.
Speaking to reporters in Peshawar, Yousafzai said PTI was open to formally presenting its demands, which included the unconditional release of detained party workers and the creation of a judicial commission to investigate allegations of political persecution. However, he criticized the government for denying PTI’s negotiating committee the opportunity to meet with their detained leader.
“Our demands are clear, but we cannot finalize them without consulting Imran Khan,” Yousafzai stated, noting that the government could consult its leadership at any time but was denying PTI this fundamental right. He urged the government to facilitate the dialogue process by allowing access to Khan, whose detention has become a major issue in the talks. Yousafzai accused the authorities of deliberately stalling the negotiations while claiming they sought a resolution.
He also dismissed the £190 million corruption case against Imran Khan, calling it a “frivolous” attempt to undermine the former prime minister. “Even if a conviction occurs, this case will fail in higher courts. The government knows this,” he added.
Yousafzai affirmed that PTI would continue its civil disobedience campaign alongside the negotiations and ruled out any political compromise. “Negotiations are about justice, not striking deals,” he said, emphasizing the importance of preserving the democratic process.
He questioned the sincerity of the government’s negotiating team, stating that the success of the talks would depend on their genuine commitment. “The future of these discussions will depend on the actions of the government representatives,” Yousafzai concluded.
Despite the ongoing challenges, Yousafzai reiterated PTI’s dedication to peaceful dialogue and resolving issues through political channels, warning that delays would only worsen the political crisis.
Meanwhile, PTI’s shifting demands raised concerns from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Irfan Siddiqui about the future of the political negotiations. Speaking to journalists, Siddiqui warned that PTI’s new demands, including the release of Imran Khan via an executive order and the involvement of key decision-makers in the talks, could jeopardize the progress made in earlier discussions.
PTI and the coalition government had previously agreed on two main demands: the release of political prisoners and a judicial inquiry into the events of May 9 and November 26. However, the addition of new conditions has drawn criticism from government representatives.
Siddiqui expressed concern over PTI’s failure to formally submit a list of demands and highlighted recent comments from PTI leader Asad Qaiser, who revealed the party’s desire to involve “real decision-makers” in the negotiations. Siddiqui suggested that PTI’s shifting stance could complicate the process and undermine earlier agreements.
In response, Qaiser downplayed the significance of submitting a formal list of demands, calling it a “formality.” He expressed confidence that the upcoming third round of talks would provide clarity and emphasized the importance of sincerity and prioritizing national interests.
Qaiser reiterated PTI’s commitment to the dialogue process and clarified that the party had no intention of derailing the negotiations. He urged the government to engage meaningfully with all relevant stakeholders to ensure the talks move forward positively.
