Islamabad, Pakistan – Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan's party has decided to withdraw from talks with the government aimed at defusing tensions that have dominated the country's political landscape for the past three years, raising fears of new street confrontations between opposition parties and law enforcement. .
After three rounds of talks, Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) held the government responsible for considering the charter of demands it made during the last dialogue on January 16. However, a week later on Thursday, PTI chief Gohar Ali Khan announced that the party would withdraw from negotiations on the orders of Khan, who has been imprisoned since August 2023.
Ali Khan told reporters outside Adiala Prison in Rawalpindi, where the former prime minister is imprisoned, that the PTI founder had "clearly" instructed that there should be no further talks as the government had not yet agreed to set up a judicial commission to investigate the violence. Two seminal days in Pakistan’s modern history.
"The government made an announcement but it has not been implemented yet, which is why Imran Khan decided to end the talks," Ali Khan told the media on Thursday.
However, government officials insist that no decision has been made on the Judiciary Committee's request. The government said it had set up a subcommittee and was consulting coalition partners involved in the negotiating team.
Senator Irfan Siddiqui, a member of the government committee, questioned PTI's sudden decision to withdraw from negotiations while negotiations were still ongoing.
"When did we say there will be no judicial commission? We take these demands very seriously," Siddiqui said on Thursday night. "There were talks between us. PTI's remarks about withdrawal are very regrettable. I don't understand what happened in these seven days," he added.
Negotiations between PTI and the government began in December last year in an effort to ease political tensions that have plagued the country since April 2022, when Khan's PTI government was ousted in a vote of no confidence in parliament.
Three rounds of negotiations have been held, during which the PTI presented a charter of demands, including the formation of two judicial committees and the release of "political prisoners".
Ali Khan, who assumes the role of PTI chief in Imran Khan's absence, said the party will continue its protests and engage with other political parties across the country.
"We will continue our fight in accordance with the constitution and the law," he said. "We will work with all political parties to launch a campaign."
The two judicial committees called for by the PTI are to probe the events of May 9, 2023 and November 26, 2024.
In May 2023, former Prime Minister Khan was briefly detained in a corruption case and was eventually convicted last Friday.
During his brief detention, PTI supporters launched violent protests across the country, targeting public buildings, military offices and facilities, including the army headquarters in Rawalpindi.
Since then, thousands of PTI workers and leaders have been arrested and more than 100 people have been tried in secret military courts, at least 80 of whom were recently sentenced to three to 10 years in prison. Imran Khan also faces charges of sedition and "terrorism" in connection with the incidents.
In November 2024, PTI launched a march to Islamabad, calling it a "final call" for the release of Imran Khan. However, law enforcement dispersed the protesters and PTI claimed that 12 workers were killed by security forces in the clashes, a figure denied by the government.
Talks between the two sides are beginning to be seen as a positive step, raising hopes of a return to normal parliamentary politics at a time when the country faces growing security challenges from rising attacks by armed groups.
Government legal affairs spokesman Aqeel Malik expressed surprise at PTI's decision, calling it "a sudden flash of lightning".
"We reached an agreement within seven working days and we are in serious consultation on the demands made by PTI, holding discussions with coalition partners and seeking legal advice," Malik said.
He added that the government had no hesitation in accepting PTI's demands but stressed the need to avoid hasty decisions. "There is no indication that we have decided to form - or not form - a committee. But PTI decided to suddenly withdraw on its own," he added.
Meanwhile, PTI leader Zulfi Bukhari called the talks a "scam" and accused the government of using the talks to buy time.
"We started negotiations because our first condition was the formation of the committee. But if the government is not going to do that, what is the point of continuing?" Buhari told Al Jazeera.
The UK-based PTI leader believed setting up the committee was the easiest step and suggested the government's reluctance showed bad intentions.
"They didn't take the negotiations seriously from the beginning," he said.
Analysts called PTI's sudden withdrawal from the talks "unusual". Political commentator Asma Shirazi said that by submitting a charter of demands, the PTI seemed willing to deescalate tensions, which made their strike particularly disappointing.
"It is incomprehensible that despite the progress, they have decided to abandon negotiations," she said, arguing that the PTI could strengthen its position by forcing the government to exhaust all options.
"They should wait for the deadline. If the government fails, the PTI will have the moral high ground to pressure them," Shirazi said.
Political analyst Talat Hussain noted the different approaches on both sides.
"This is a gradual process for the government. But PTI expects a breakthrough in just a few rounds," he told Al Jazeera.
Hussain echoed Shiraz, saying it was an opportunity to frame the government, but PTI rejected it.
"They could have tested the government by putting the ball in their court and waiting for them to act on the demands made. If the government did not do that after subsequent rounds, then they might say the government is not serious and we will Exit. But they showed no patience," he said
Since its ouster three years ago, the PTI has organized frequent protest marches that have often paralyzed the country, with road closures and internet blackouts.
PTI leader Buhari said the party may return to the streets. "Our supporters are willing to stand up for Khan, even at great personal risk," he said, adding that Pakistan's current "suffocating environment" needed solutions.
However, government spokesman Malik said the protests must remain peaceful.
"If they violate the constitution through anarchic politics or violence, the government is fully capable of responding," he said.
Islamabad-based analyst Shirazi said she expected PTI to be in turmoil again.
"The last time PTI tried to blackmail the government by laying siege to Islamabad was in November. Now that the Champions Trophy is scheduled to be held next month, does this mean PTI will once again use it as a window of opportunity to create chaos?" she wondered.
Pakistan is expected to host cricket's top eight nations in February, the first time the country has hosted such a major event since co-hosting the Cricket World Cup in 1996 with India and Sri Lanka.
PTI had also called for protests in Islamabad in October last year, coinciding with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit being held in Islamabad. However, a day before the event, PTI decided to withdraw their appeal.
Hussain, however, is not entirely sure that the PTI can achieve its goals by resuming street agitation.
"They can't possibly be any more inciting than they have been in years past. They have set a certain threshold for bringing people into the streets and causing chaos. They need to meet or exceed that level," he said. "It will be interesting to see what path they take now."