The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has questioned the dialogue process with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)-led government after the ruling coalition failed to arrange a meeting between jailed PTI founder Imran Khan , and the party’s negotiation. committee. The meeting could not be held despite earlier promises that it would go ahead.

Talking about the delayed meeting with former prime minister Imran Khan at Adiala jail before the next round of talks, the PTI leadership said there are now doubts about the other side’s ability to deliver.

Despite the government’s failure to grant its negotiating committee access to the party supremo in Adiala jail, the PTI leadership has categorically stated that it is not pulling out of the dialogue process. At the same time, it is waiting for the government’s next ‘apology’.

“The [the delay] affecting the dialogue process and not only that, the inability to arrange a meeting with Imran Khan Sahib has raised a big question mark on how powerful the government, its negotiating committee, allied parties and the deputy prime minister actually are,” PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram told to The Express Pakinomist.

“The ruling PML-N, PPP, MQM-P and its other allies have not yet been able to arrange a meeting with Khan Sahib,” Akram said. “Will they be able to accept our demands, including the release of PTI leaders and workers and the formation of judicial commissions for the May 9 and November 26 incidents?”

He rhetorically asked how the government could fulfill key demands if it cannot even arrange a meeting in jail with Imran Khan. “It’s a worrying situation.”

The PTI spokesperson recalled how the gates of Adiala Jail were opened for a PTI leader, Azam Swati, at 7 am, just because the government wanted to request Imran Khan to postpone a planned political meeting in the capital.

He added that the government and the opposition were currently at a critical juncture in history, but all his party could see was a mistake in arranging a meeting with the PTI supremo.

However, he categorically said that PTI will not pull out of the talks, adding that the negotiating committee would see what the government side says in practical terms during the third round of talks.

A member of PTI’s legal team, lawyer Faisal Chaudhry, told The Express Pakinomist that Tuesday was reserved for meetings with family members and lawyers, while Thursday is marked for meetings with friends.

According to the schedule, Chaudhry said Aleema Khan, Uzma Khan and Qasim Khan Niazi met Imran on Tuesday, but the meeting with lawyers was postponed as the PTI founder sought a meeting with the negotiation committee.

Chaudhry added that Adiala jail authorities were contacted last night on the instructions of NA opposition leader Omar Ayub. “It was agreed that the prison authorities would provide information once permission had been given for a meeting with the negotiating committee.”

However, he said the PTI negotiating committee was not allowed to meet Khan despite waiting all day.

“This raises significant questions about whether the government’s negotiating team has the power to implement a significant decision, given their admitted failure to arrange a meeting of the PTI team with Khan Sahib,” Chaudhry said.

He also stressed that the party leaders had been allowed only one meeting with Imran – on December 26, 2024 – in the last three months.

“It appears that an unannounced ban has been imposed on Imran Khan’s meetings with his party leaders,” he said.

Access to Imran Khan has become a sticking point in talks between the two sides and the dialogue seems to have hit a dead end.

The pursuit process started on December 23 in an effort to defuse tensions and mend fences. It was followed by another meeting on January 2, 2025, but nothing concrete has come of it.

During the last two rounds of talks, the government outlined that the PTI should put its demands in writing before going ahead. On the other hand, PTI has said that the charter of demands cannot be finalized without meeting Imran Khan.

Since negotiations began, both sides have pointed fingers at each other over delays, and matters have moved at a snail’s pace ever since.

The third round of negotiations was expected this week, but no date could be set.