ISLAMABAD: The first round of talks between the government and the PTI-led opposition ended without a breakthrough on Friday, with both sides agreeing to resume negotiations at 2pm today (Saturday), as the opposition’s October 4 long march on Islamabad drew closer.
The meeting, chaired by National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq at his chamber, focused on the prevailing political situation, the PTI’s planned protest and security concerns in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
According to the National Assembly spokesperson, government, PPP and opposition representatives exchanged their respective positions and discussed various issues in detail, while stressing the need to resolve national issues through dialogue.
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Sources familiar with the proceedings, however, said the opening round was marked by sharp exchanges over terrorism, law and order in KP and the broader political situation.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi opened the meeting by presenting what he described as a “charge sheet” against the KP government and Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, linking recent Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) attacks and the law-and-order situation to what he characterised as failures of the provincial government, the sources said.
Opposition representative Allama Raja Nasir Abbas rejected the argument, saying the opposition had come to the talks to discuss political matters rather than terrorism.
“You are linking the political issues with terrorism. Your institutions are arresting members of the provincial assembly and who is responsible for that,” Abbas was quoted as saying.
The opposition also insisted that its leadership needed an opportunity to consult PTI founding chairman Imran Khan before taking major decisions.
Abbas argued that opposition leaders could not be expected to make key decisions without meeting Khan in jail.
He said progress could be made only after Mahmood Khan Achakzai, head of the Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Aain-Pakistan (TTTAP) and the opposition leader in National Assembly, and other opposition leaders had an opportunity to meet Imran Khan.
PPP Senator Sherry Rehman questioned what guarantee there was that such a meeting would resolve the outstanding issues.
The opposition representatives responded that they would take responsibility for the outcome and believed the situation would improve after consultations with Imran Khan, according to the sources.
PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan conveyed the opposition leadership’s position, including points communicated by Achakzai, to the government team. The proceedings were also briefly interrupted for Friday prayers.
Following the joint session, the government and opposition negotiating committees held separate consultations for around 20 minutes.
Government representatives briefed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif by telephone, while opposition members updated their respective leaderships.
Sources said the government had conveyed its demands to the opposition, but no agreement was reached on the key issues.
The October 4 march remained the most immediate point of contention. The government has sought to avert the protest, while the opposition has so far kept its call intact.
The opposition delegation was reconstituted before the meeting after Achakzai declined to attend at the National Assembly.
Sources said he had sought a neutral venue for the negotiations, prompting the PTI-led alliance to proceed with a revised team.
The six-member opposition delegation comprised Gohar, Abbas, former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser, Salman Akram Raja, Amir Dogar and Haleem Adil Sheikh.
The government and PPP delegation included Naqvi, Adviser to the Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry, Adviser Amir Muqam, Sherry Rehman and lawmakers Naveed Qamar and Aijaz Jakhrani.
Despite the differences inside the meeting, both sides later described the atmosphere as positive.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Gohar said the negotiations had taken place in a good atmosphere and expressed hope that the process would move in the right direction. He confirmed that the next round would begin at 2pm today (Saturday).
Abbas also said the government’s gesture towards negotiations was appropriate, stressing that talks could not proceed without a constructive atmosphere.
“So far, there is nothing more to say,” he said, adding that the two sides would meet again before deciding their next course of action.
A consultative meeting of the opposition alliance was subsequently held at Abbas’s residence, where participants reviewed the first round and discussed the way forward.
PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said the opposition wanted to discuss matters relating to justice and sought a meeting with Khan for consultation.
Former speaker Asad Qaiser also said the opposition wanted to meet Imran Khan at Adiala jail to finalise its agenda, while issues concerning Khan’s sisters were also raised.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026