With talks hanging in the balance, PTI founder Imran Khan on Saturday demanded a meeting with his party’s negotiating committee before the next round of talks, scheduled for January 28.

Speaking to party leaders during a meeting in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, the jailed PTI supremo claimed that the party’s final position on the dialogue would depend on consultations with the negotiating committee.

The air around the talks remains thick with uncertainty as PTI leaders are sending mixed signals. Just a day earlier, PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan claimed that the talks had only been put on hold, contradicting the party’s earlier statement of suspending the process altogether.

The PTI had initially slammed the brakes on the dialogue, accusing the government of “non-cooperation” and reluctance to form a judicial commission to investigate two key events: the violent protests of 9 May 2023 and the crackdown on PTI workers in Islamabad on 26 November.

Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Shibli Faraz reiterated that the PTI remains open to resuming talks provided the government forms an independent commission.

However, he claimed that the government was reluctant to let the truth come out. “If the government has nothing to hide, they have a golden opportunity to form the commission. Their failure to do so indicates that there is something fishy,” he said while addressing the media outside the Adiala jail.

He said the government had initially promised a decision within eight days but later backtracked, claiming it had meant “eight working days”.

He claimed that the PTI

had engaged in dialogue with sincerity, taking into account the country’s political and economic crises as well as external and internal challenges.

Faraz deplored the government’s approach and accused it of bad faith. “We put our demands in writing, but they never intended to have a meaningful dialogue. They are more concerned with maintaining their status quo than addressing the nation’s concerns.”

PTI Legal Adviser Salman Akram Raja revealed while talking to the media that a detailed meeting with Imran Khan had taken place. Raja claimed that Khan remains steadfast in his stance and PTI was involved in talks solely for the betterment of Pakistan.

“The government tried to weaken the PTI to the extent that it could not participate in elections or campaign. Despite this, the nation rose up on February 8 and voted for us – not just in KP but across Pakistan.”

He claimed that the election results were manipulated, called the act “shameful”, and lamented the lack of justice by the courts.

“Imran Khan gave the system a chance, but now he has made it clear: no negotiations will take place unless the commission is announced.”

He added that Imran was willing to meet the negotiation team but only after the formation of the commission.

“Who says bullets were not fired on November 26? People were martyred and others disappeared. We have all the data and we will present it not only to the courts but also to the public,” he said.

Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, PTI’s legal representative, also addressed the media outside the court complex and lamented the procedural delays in the formation of the commission.