ISLAMABAD: The talks between the government and opposition were deadlocked on Saturday as the two sides could not bridge differences over the issue of terrorism.
Sources said that there were differences between the PTI/opposition leadership and the KP government over articles related to terrorism and support for the federal government.
The development came hours after reports that the government and opposition had reportedly reached an understanding on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) planned October 4 march towards Islamabad, with a written agreement being prepared. But the final decision on calling off or suspending the protest remains subject to consultations with party founder Imran Khan, sources said earlier on Saturday.
The second round of talks between the government, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the PTI-led opposition was chaired by National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq at the Parliament House.
According to sources, the government agreed to facilitate a meeting between opposition leaders Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas and Imran Khan, who is incarcerated in the Adiala jail. In return, the opposition side reportedly agreed in principle to withdraw its October 4 march.
The second round followed a first meeting on Friday that ended without an agreement. The two sides had exchanged their positions and agreed to resume negotiations on Saturday in an effort to defuse political tensions ahead of the PTI protest. The National Assembly Secretariat described the first meeting as constructive and cordial and said the participants had emphasised resolving national issues through dialogue.
The government delegation included Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Kashmir Affairs Minister Amir Muqam, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah and PPP leaders Naveed Qamar, Sherry Rehman and Ejaz Jakhrani.
The opposition delegation comprised Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Asad Qaiser, Salman Akram Raja, Amir Dogar and Haleem Adil Sheikh. Speaker Ayaz Sadiq chaired both rounds of negotiations.
Before Saturday’s meeting, the opposition held consultations and agreed to propose that neither side issue statements to the media during the negotiations, with a joint statement to be issued after the talks in order to avoid conflicting accounts.
The government had pressed the opposition to cancel the October 4 march, while PTI leaders had maintained that the protest could not be withdrawn without progress on their demands, particularly access to Imran Khan.
During the negotiations, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said the party’s priority was access to Imran Khan and that it would not compromise on his health. He also demanded that the medical board constituted by the Supreme Court examine the PTI founder and that people trusted by him be allowed to meet him. The opposition also sought relief for women prisoners, including Bushra Bibi, Dr Yasmin Rashid and Imran Khan’s sisters.
Earlier, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar had said the talks were important for the country, democracy and the political system. He maintained that the party wanted to proceed with its planned march without the imposition of an emergency or governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
PTI’s political and core committees had also discussed the negotiations before the second round. According to sources, a majority of members favoured continuing the dialogue and suggested that the October 4 march could be postponed if meaningful progress was made, rather than being called off outright. Some members also proposed that senior PTI leaders meet Imran Khan to help determine the party’s next course of action.
The possibility of emergency measures in KP had emerged as another major issue in the dispute. Federal government figures raised concerns over the province’s security situation, while PTI leaders opposed any move to impose governor’s rule or an emergency.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Saturday called for political dialogue before any constitutional measures were taken in KP, saying the federal and provincial governments should work together to address the security situation. He also proposed a written agreement between the Centre and the provinces on counterterrorism cooperation.
The PTI had originally scheduled its march for September 27 but postponed it to October 4. On Saturday, KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi had reiterated that the march would proceed, with PTI announcing plans for mobilisation from the province.
The government-opposition talks were initiated after a meeting between President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and senior coalition leaders on Thursday, amid heightened political tensions and concerns over security in KP. The government had considered emergency-related options but agreed to pursue dialogue first.
Meanwhile, the government continued preparations for maintaining security in Islamabad. Reuters reported on October 2 that authorities had been placing or requisitioning shipping containers to block routes into the capital ahead of the planned protest, causing disruptions to freight and transport operations.
