Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has established a high-level committee tasked with holding dialogue with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the country’s main opposition party. PTI has recently warned the government of a civil disobedience movement, escalating tensions between the ruling coalition and the opposition.
The committee, formed by the Prime Minister, includes key members from the coalition government: Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, Senator Irfan Siddiqui, former National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Naveed Qamar, Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Abdul Aleem Khan, and Chaudhry Salik Hussain.
This formation follows the creation of a similar committee by PTI, led by party founder Imran Khan, signaling the opposition’s recognition that its confrontational approach might not be sustainable. The PTI committee had been established weeks ago to engage with the government.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif formed this negotiating body on the recommendation of National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, who had previously worked on initiating dialogue between the two sides. The Prime Minister commended Sadiq’s efforts and expressed hope that national security and interests would remain the priority during any potential negotiations. “Our existence hinges on Pakistan’s existence,” PM Shehbaz emphasized.
The announcement of the committee comes shortly after Speaker Sadiq reached out to the Prime Minister, confirming PTI’s request for his involvement in the mediation process. PTI had accused the government of lacking sincerity in its approach to talks. Sadiq, in response, agreed to Barrister Gohar Khan’s proposal to form the negotiating committee and noted that PTI chairman Imran Khan had recognized the Speaker’s role as the custodian of the house and asked for his active participation.
Sources have confirmed that the parliamentary committee will be granted full authority to discuss key negotiation points and make decisions regarding the ongoing government-opposition dialogue.
This development comes as PTI’s civil disobedience movement looms, with the opposition party threatening to launch the first phase of the campaign if its demands are not met. Barrister Gohar Khan, speaking to the media on Saturday, emphasized that while negotiations are essential, PTI will still proceed with its civil disobedience campaign. The government, however, has maintained that talks cannot move forward under the threat of civil disobedience or set deadlines.
