Sanaullah dismisses speculation surrounding dialogue between PTI and establishment

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister’s aide on Political and Public Affairs Rana Sanaullah has rejected speculations of “ongoing backdoor talks” involving the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), saying that the establishment would not have any dialogue with the former ruling party.

“Political issues can only be discussed through this door, from which they [PTI] ran away today,” the PMLN leader said while speaking on Geo News programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’. The remarks came as the former ruling party skipped the crucial fourth round of talks scheduled today citing the government’s failure to form judicial commissions to probe the May 9 riots and the November 2024 Islamabad protest.

The dialogue process between the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN)-led government and the PTI commenced in late December after months of heightened political tensions.

Although the PTI has presented its written charter of demands and after weeks of negotiations — with three sessions taking place so far — little progress was made on key matters.

Meanwhile, sources told Geo News that the PTI was holding talks with the establishment, with PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan confirming that he had called on Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir along with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur.

Explaining what had transpired during their rare talks with the COAS, the PTI chief said that all matters and demands of the party were presented directly to General Asim Munir. However, a statement attributed to security sources rejected any political aspect of the meeting, saying the contents of the meeting were being reported out of context.

Earlier in the day, Barrister Gohar clarified that his party was not holding dialogue with any other quarter. Speaking on the programme today, Sanaullah lambasted the PTI for “damaging the country’s politics during the past 10 to 12 years”.

He noted that the Imran-founded party “ran away” from the negotiations, saying that the PTI would have gotten the government’s response if they attended the fourth round. Referring to the formation of a judicial commission, the PM’s aide said that no judge would want to join the commission amid the prevailing situation. In response to a question regarding PTI’s warning of protest, Sanaullah said that the law would take its course if PTI took to the streets. “In a democratic political system, issues are resolved on the table,” he added.