t seems that Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and its incarcerated founder, Imran Khan, have tough times ahead. The ISPR press conference on Khan and Faiz Hamid’s conviction after a court-martial have changed the political landscape within a few days. The PTI, which had been unwilling to hold political talks, is now seeking a national dialogue. However, rival political forces, including the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and the Pakistan Peoples Party appear to be stepping back from their previous offers to the PTI for dialogue to resolve political issue.

Threats of transfer to another facility, such as Machh Jail; a treason case against him; and the possibility of banning the party over involvement in anti-state activities are looming over the PTI.

Just two weeks ago, the PTI was in its familiar protest mode when the party and the social media started expressing concern over the discontinuation of visitors’ meetings with Imran Khan. Social media spread rumours about IK’s health. There were suggestions even of his death. However when his sister Uzma Khan was allowed to see him in jail she reported that “Khan’s health is good. However, he is under immense pressure. He holds Gen Asim Munir responsible for everything.”

The statement proved counterproductive. All meetings with Khan were stopped and the director general of the Inter Service Public Relations addressed an unprecedented media conference where he accused Khan of having an anti-state agenda is to weaken Pakistan. “That threat emanates from a delusional mindset of a delusional person who has become captive to his own ego, thinking that his wishes are bigger than those of the state of Pakistan. His ego, his wishes, and frustrations have grown to such an extent that he thinks that the world would cease to exist without him,” said Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry.

Gen Chaudhry said it was “very important” for the military’s media wing to clarify the matter, remove all ambiguities and doubts and say what needed to be said. “We need to understand how this narrative is working. It is working in deep collusion with [certain] external actors. To understand that, first, I will reiterate something that the armed forces have been saying again and again: we are the armed forces of Pakistan; we don’t represent any ethnicity. We don’t represent any linguistic group, religious inclination, political view or school of thought. We have people from all areas of Pakistan; all religions, all sects, all languages and all political views; we put all those considerations aside once we wear this uniform. That is our pride. That is our honour. We strive, we die daily not for some language, area or political viewpoint. We strive and die on a daily basis for the people of Pakistan; for the integrity of Pakistan. We say that very clearly. We don’t come from the elite class of Pakistan alone. We [also] belong to the middle, lower-middle and the poor socio-economic classes; we do not carry the flag of any political actor, class or elitism. This is your armed forces. We are absolutely clear about the character of the armed forces of Pakistan, starting from a soldier all the way up to the field marshal,” he said.

Soon after the news conference, several PTI leaders issued a flood of press conferences and media talks, commenting on the DG’s criticism of the PTI and Khan.

On Tuesday and Thursday, IK’s sisters and PTI leaders reached Adiyala Jail to meet Khan but were denied the meeting. In the wee hours on Wednesday police used water cannons to disperse IK’s sisters and some activists staging a sit-in near Adiyala Jail. Daughters of Bushra Bibi, Khan’s spouse, also visited the jail to meet their mother, but were not allowed to meet her.

Just two weeks ago, the PTI was in its familiar protest mode after media started expressing concern over the discontinuation of visitors’ meetings with Imran Khan.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi reached Adiyala Jail for the eighth time but was denied a meeting with his leader.

Several ministers and advisors to the prime minister indicated that Khan might be shifted to some other facility, possibly Machh Jail.

On Wednesday, the Punjab Assembly passed a resolution demanding a ban on the PTI.

Some state functionaries also hinted at the possibility of imposing Governor’s Rule in KP, where the PTI is running the provincial government. Even Bilawal Bhutto Zardari would not rule out the possibility.

The PA resolution said, “The institutions that safeguard Pakistan on every front and have successfully countered an enemy five times larger are vital to the country’s integrity and stability.” It said, “A ban should be imposed on the political party and its founder for acting as a tool of the enemy state.”

The statements and actions of the government and its functionaries indicate that difficult times lie ahead for the PTI and Khan. Some of the PTI leaders have sensed this. In a recent meeting of the PTI’s core committee and parliamentary group, there was a strong criticism of the party’s social media; Khan’s sister Naureen Khan’s statement on an Indian TV channel; Uzma Khan’s statement outside the jail; and the strategy of protests around the jail. According to some PTI insiders, “some of the PTI leaders strongly expressed their opinion that the strategies have proved counterproductive. They said it was high time to change the mode of activism.”

After the meeting, PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Khan told the media that the Movement for Protection of the Constitution, led by Mahmood Khan Achakzai, will organise a national conference on political dialogue. In the meeting, it was decided that Achakzai and Raja Nasir Abbas of Majlis-i-Wahdatul Muslimeen will invite the PPP to the conference.

Offering dialogue to parties like the PPP is a stunner. The PTI has previously rejected all offers by Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto and others for a dialogue to resolve the political issues. This indicates that the PTI leaders have sensed the gravity of the situation.

For their part, PML-N and PPP leaders are no longer keen on the PTI’s offer. Many of them say that the time for political dialogue is over.

Talking to a news channel, Advisor to the Prime Minister Senator Rana Sanaullah said, “In the near future, there might be two PTIs — the PTI and PTI-Adiyala.” He was apparently referring to the breakup of the Mohajir Qaumi Movement into MQM-Pakistan and MQM-London factions. However, the MQM is a regional political party and its leader, Altaf Hussain, is living in the UK in self-exile, unlike the PTI, which is a national party and IK remains highly popular. If it there is a split, most of the supporters will continue to follow the PTI-Adiyala.

The conviction and sentencing of former ISI chief Faiz Hamid through a court-martial judgment that handed him a 14-year sentence, too, sounds ominous for the PTI. Hamid was accused of causing tension between Khan and the military. Hamid also faces a separate investigation into his role in the May 2023 attacks by thousands of Khan’s supporters on scores of military installations and offices to protest against his arrest. Hamid’s conviction sends a strong message to the PTI and Khan.

Many PTI leaders and supporters may find themselves forced to change their strategy and political attitude. Controlling its keyboard warriors on social media will be a big challenge for the PTI. If it fails to control the party’s social media to reduce polarisation, the situation may completely slip out of the leadership’s hands. The key is dialogue and the parliament.

The writer is a journalist, teacher of journalism, writer and analyst. He tweets at @BukhariMubasher.