ISLAMABAD: The second round of government-opposition talks ended in deadlock on Saturday night after the opposition refused to withdraw its October 4 long march unless its representatives were first allowed to meet jailed former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan.
The standoff followed more than eight hours of negotiations at the chambers of National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, with the government insisting that the opposition call off the protest before its delegation could meet Khan.
The opposition rejected the demand, making withdrawal of the march conditional on a meeting between Khan and Mehmood Khan Achakzai, opposition leader in National Assembly, Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, opposition leader in Senate, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi moved between the Prime Minister’s House, Aiwan-e-Sadr and other key offices during the negotiations, briefing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and meeting President Asif Ali Zardari as the talks continued.
Sources said Achakzai made it clear to the opposition negotiation panel that no final decision could be taken without first consulting Khan.
During telephone conversations with the opposition negotiating team, he proposed that he, CM Afridi and Allama Nasir Abbas be allowed to meet Imran Khan in jail.
He also called for the opposition to agree on a single agenda for the proposed meeting with the PTI founder.
He assured negotiators that CM Afridi would not speak to the media after meeting Khan and also sought the release of the PTI founder’s sisters before any agreement was finalised.
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The opposition’s position hardened after Achakzai, chief of the Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Aayin-e-Pakistan (TTAP), spoke by telephone with members of the negotiating team and made it clear that the long march could not be withdrawn before a meeting with Khan.
In a late-night post on X, TTAP quoted Achakzai as saying that neither the negotiating team nor the KP chief minister had the mandate to withdraw the protest call.
“First, we should be allowed a meeting with Imran Khan. After this, we will announce about the fate of the long march,” he was quoted as saying.
The government, meanwhile, remained firm on its position that the PTI should first call off the march before proceeding with the proposed meeting.
Sources familiar with the negotiations said the two sides had initially appeared close to an understanding, with several points reportedly agreed upon. However, the issue of the protest emerged as the main stumbling block.
No formal announcement had been made by either side when this report was filed. Reporters waiting outside the speaker’s chambers were asked to leave and told that a statement would be issued if the talks produced an agreement.
Meanwhile, preparations for the long march appeared to be continuing despite the lack of a breakthrough.
In a late night post on X, CM Afridi announced that the first phase of the march would begin at 1pm on Sunday, October 4, from Gandi Chowk in Lakki Marwat. Participants from Tank, Dera Ismail Khan, South Waziristan, North Waziristan, Bannu and Lakki Marwat are scheduled to join the caravan, which will halt near Karak for the night.
The march will proceed towards Kohat on October 5, with participants from Karak joining along the route. On October 6, participants from Kohat, Hangu, Kurram and Orakzai are expected to join before the caravan moves towards Peshawar and halts near Matni.
The following day, participants from Khyber district will join the caravan at Budh Bair in Peshawar, while other Peshawar constituencies will join along Kohat Road and at the motorway toll plaza before the march proceeds towards Charsadda.
On October 8, the caravan is scheduled to leave Charsadda Interchange, with participants from Charsadda and Mohmand joining along the route. Mr Afridi said people from across the province would gather at Khairabad, where the plan for the next phase of the march would be announced.
The talks were chaired by National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq. The government delegation comprised Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Amir Muqam, Rana Sanaullah and Talal Chaudhry, while the PPP was represented by Sherry Rehman, Syed Naveed Qamar and Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani.
The opposition delegation included Raja Nasir Abbas, Gohar Ali Khan, Salman Akram Raja, Asad Qaiser, Amir Dogar and Haleem Adil Sheikh.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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