The federal government and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Friday both categorically rejected the report of an alleged offer to the party to reconstitute the Election Commission of Pakistan to ensure smooth functioning of democracy.
The categorical condemnations came to the fore after senior journalist Mohammad Mallick alleged in his program ‘Khabar Muhammad Malick Kay Saath’ a day ago that a “firm and final” offer was made to the PTI to help make democracy work in the country.
According to Mallick, two decisions were made at the “highest level” and passed on to the party, allegedly including the PTI’s return to parliament and committees, participation in parliamentary procedures and providing “a form of functional democracy” in return for a promise that the ECP would be reconstituted and laws would be changed so that the next election would be free and fair. In addition, the government was ready to hold elections a year ahead of schedule, Mallick had claimed.
But both government and PTI leaders rejected the claims as incorrect. In a post on X, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar called the reports “absolutely false”.
He added: “I don’t know how these stories are cooked up every few days. Strongly debunked.”
In addition, Minister of State for Law and Attorney General Aqeel also supported his cabinet colleague’s statement.
“This is absolutely ‘fake news’ – no such offer has been made at all! I would encourage you to double check with the ‘sources’ you may claim to have gotten this false information from.”
He further wrote: “The only offer made so far has been ‘talks’ between political parties and nothing else, without conditions and/or preconditions. Therefore, we must refrain from stating things that are not correct.”
This is absolutely ‘Fake News’ – no such offer has been made at all! I would encourage you to double check with whatever “sources” you may claim to have gotten this false information from. The only offer that has come so far has been “talks” between political parties and nothing else…
— Barrister Aqeel Malik (@BrAqeelMalik) 29 January 2026
Meanwhile, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan also dismissed any suggestion of an offer from the government while addressing a press conference at Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa House, calling it a false narrative.
“It was said yesterday that the government had made us an offer that elections would be held after two years and that we had to accept those terms or not. This is completely false – nothing of the sort has happened. It’s all rumours,” he said.
