Islamabad – According to Pakistani media, political discourse took a contentious turn as PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui and senior PPP leader Khursheed Shah criticized the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for reportedly engaging in parallel negotiations with both the government and the military. This development has sparked intense scrutiny, with questions raised over its implications for ongoing political talks.
The PTI and government representatives are currently negotiating to de-escalate political tensions. Following two rounds of discussions, PTI submitted its demands in writing during the third session held on Thursday. However, revelations about a meeting between Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir and PTI leaders Ali Amin Gandapur and Barrister Gohar Ali Khan have overshadowed these talks. While the PTI claimed a positive outcome, military sources dismissed any political context, attributing the event to routine engagements during the army chief’s visit to Peshawar.
Former prime minister and PTI leader Imran Khan, speaking from Adiala jail, endorsed these discussions as “a step in the right direction,” but the agenda remains ambiguous. Senator Siddiqui, however, criticized the dual-track approach, asserting that negotiations through “two to three doors” simultaneously are untenable. In a pointed remark, he called on PTI’s negotiation team to either abandon talks with the government or clarify its stance with the military.
Echoing concerns, PPP stalwart Khursheed Shah questioned the transparency of PTI’s engagements. Speaking on DawnNewsTV’s Doosra Rukh, he underscored the impropriety of cloaking interactions with the country’s supreme commander. “If meetings with the military are happening, they should be declared openly,” Shah insisted. He added that such actions foster mistrust and compromise the integrity of political processes.
Shah further elaborated on Pakistan’s dire political and economic state, calling for unity among all political actors. However, he critiqued PTI’s past alignment with the establishment, lamenting its failure to navigate economic challenges during its tenure. “The issues we face today were set in motion during PTI’s three-and-a-half-year rule,” he stated, urging accountability from those who sided with the establishment for short-term gains.
Meanwhile, Mahmood Achakzai, leader of Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan and a PTI ally, rejected negotiations with what he termed an “illegitimate and unelected government.” In a forthcoming interview, Achakzai maintained that talks with an unlawful entity should only aim to restore legitimacy. “Negotiations must serve a purpose. This government lacks credibility,” he asserted.
As political leaders exchange barbs, the broader question looms: can Pakistan’s fractured political framework reconcile to address the nation’s deepening crises? The stakes remain high, with both governance and economic stability hanging in the balance. Whether dialogue will lead to solutions or exacerbate divisions depends on a cohesive and transparent approach from all sides.
