Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shaukat Yousafzai asserted that Imran Khan’s potential conviction would not derail ongoing negotiations with the federal government, reaffirming the party’s commitment to dialogue over confrontation.
Yousafzai, addressing reporters in Peshawar, said PTI was open to formally communicating its demands, which include the unconditional release of detained workers and the establishment of a judicial commission to investigate allegations of political persecution.
However, he criticised the government for not allowing the PTI’s negotiating committee to meet their detained leader.“Our demands are clear, but we cannot finalise them without consultation with Imran Khan. The government can consult its leadership at any time, yet we are denied this fundamental right,” Yousafzai said.
He urged the government to “facilitate the dialogue process” by granting access to Khan, whose detention has been a sticking point in negotiations. Yousafzai accused the authorities of deliberately stalling the talks while claiming they want a resolution.
Yousafzai also dismissed the £190 million corruption case involving Imran Khan, calling it a “frivolous” attempt to discredit the former prime minister. “Even if a conviction occurs, this case will collapse in higher courts. It’s a case of acquittal, and the government knows it,” he stated.
The PTI leader maintained that the party would continue its civil disobedience campaign alongside the negotiations, ruling out any possibility of a political compromise.“Negotiations are not about striking a deal. They are about achieving justice and ensuring that the democratic process remains intact,” he said.
Yousafzai questioned the sincerity of the government’s negotiating team, saying the continuation of talks depended on their seriousness.“We will only proceed based on the actions of the government representatives. Their sincerity will dictate the future of these discussions,” he added.
Despite ongoing challenges, Yousafzai emphasised that PTI remained committed to peaceful dialogue and resolving issues through political channels, warning that delays would only deepen the political crisis.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has introduced new demands in ongoing political negotiations, raising concerns from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Irfan Siddiqui about the future of talks to resolve the country’s political tensions.
Speaking to journalists on Sunday, he cautioned that PTI’s shifting stance, which now includes the release of Imran Khan via executive order and the involvement of “real decision-makers” in the talks, could undermine progress made during earlier negotiations.
