Pakistan’s political deadlock deepens as PTI withdraws from negotiations

Islamabad, Pakistan – Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party has decided to walk out of talks with the government aimed at defusing tensions that have dominated the country’s political landscape for the past three years, prompting fears of new street confrontations between the opposition party and law enforcement.

After three rounds of talks, Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had placed the onus on the government to consider its charter of demands, which it presented during the last dialogue on January 16. However, a week later on Thursday, PTI chairman Gohar Ali Khan announced that the party would withdraw from negotiations following instructions from Khan, who has been imprisoned since August 2023.

Speaking to reporters outside Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, where the former PM is held, Ali Khan said the PTI founder had “categorically” directed that no further negotiations should take place because the government had not agreed to form judicial commissions to investigate the violent events of two seminal days in Pakistan’s recent history.

“The government made announcements but has yet to follow through, which is why Imran Khan decided to end the negotiations,” Ali Khan told the media on Thursday.

However, government officials insist that it had made no decision yet on the demand for judicial commissions. For its part, the government said it had formed a sub-committee and was consulting coalition partners involved in the negotiating team.

Senator Irfan Siddiqui, a member of the government committee, questioned the PTI’s sudden decision to pull out of the talks when consultations were still ongoing.

“When did we say that we would not form a judicial commission? We took these demands very seriously,” Siddiqui said on Thursday evening. “We held talks among ourselves. What the PTI said about pulling out is very regrettable. I do not understand what happened in these seven days,” he added.

“Continued struggle”

The talks between PTI and the government began in December last year, aiming to de-escalate the political tension that has gripped the country since April 2022, when Khan’s PTI government was toppled through a parliamentary vote of no confidence.

Three rounds had taken place, during which the PTI presented a charter of demands, including forming two judicial commissions and releasing “political prisoners”.

Ali Khan, acting as PTI’s chairman in the absence of Imran Khan, stated that the party would continue protests and engage with other political parties across the country.

“We will continue our struggle in accordance with the Constitution and the law,” he remarked. “We will initiate a movement in collaboration with all political parties.”

The two judicial commissions PTI demanded were meant to investigate the events of May 9, 2023, and November 26, 2024.

In May 2023, former Prime Minister Khan was briefly detained in a corruption case in which he was eventually convicted last Friday.

During his brief detention, PTI supporters launched violent protests nationwide, targeting public buildings and military offices and installations, including the army headquarters in Rawalpindi.

In the aftermath, thousands of PTI workers and leaders were arrested, and more than 100 were tried in secretive military courts, with at least 80 recently sentenced to three to 10 years in prison. Imran Khan also faces charges of inciting mutiny and “terrorism” related to those events.

In November 2024, PTI launched a march to Islamabad, calling it the “final call” for Imran Khan’s release. However, law enforcement dispersed the protesters, with PTI claiming 12 workers were killed by security forces in the clashes, a figure the government denies.

“Bolt out of nowhere”

The opening of talks between the two sides had been viewed as a positive step, raising hopes of a return to regular parliamentary politics at a time when the country faces increasing security challenges in the form of growing attacks from armed groups.

Aqeel Malik, the government’s legal affairs spokesperson, expressed surprise at the PTI’s decision, calling it a “bolt out of nowhere”.

“We had agreed on seven working days, and our consultations were ongoing carefully on the demands PTI had presented, discussing with coalition partners and seeking legal advice,” Malik said.

He added there was no reluctance on the government’s part to accept PTI’s demands but emphasised the need to avoid rushed decisions. “There was no indication we had decided to form – or not form – a commission. But PTI decided to walk out abruptly on its own,” he added.

Meanwhile, PTI leader Zulfi Bukhari called the talks a “sham”, accusing the government of using them to buy time.

“We pulled the trigger on talks because our first and foremost condition was to form commissions. But if the government was not going to do that, what is the point of continuing?” Bukhari told Al Jazeera.

The United Kingdom-based PTI leader argued that forming the commissions would have been the easiest step and suggested the government’s reluctance showed malicious intent.

“They were never serious about the talks to begin with,” he said.

“Opportunity spurned”

Analysts have called the PTI’s sudden exit from the talks “unusual”. Asma Shirazi, a political commentator, said by submitting their charter of demands, PTI appeared willing to de-escalate tensions, making their walkout particularly disappointing.

“It is quite incomprehensible that, despite making headway, they decided to abandon the talks,” she said, arguing that the PTI could have strengthened its position by forcing the government into exhausting all options.

“They should have waited for the deadline. If the government had failed, PTI would have had the moral high ground to pressure them,” Shirazi said.

Political analyst Talat Hussain noted the differing approaches between the two sides.

“For the government, it was a gradual process. But PTI expected breakthroughs in just a few rounds,” he told Al Jazeera.

Hussain echoed Shirazi and said this was an opportunity to trap the government, but the PTI spurned it.

“They could have tested the government by putting the ball in their court, waiting for them to act on the demands laid out. Had the government failed to do that after subsequent rounds, then they could have said that the government is not serious, and we are walking out. But they did not show the patience,” he said

More agitation to come?

Since its removal from power three years ago, PTI has organised frequent protest marches, often paralysing the country with road closures and internet blackouts.

PTI leader Bukhari indicated the party may return to the streets. “Our supporters are willing to come out for Khan, even at great personal risk,” he said, adding that Pakistan’s current “suffocating environment” requires a resolution.

However, Malik, the government’s spokesperson, said protests must remain peaceful.

“If they violate the Constitution through anarchist politics or violence, the government is well-equipped to respond,” he said.

Shirazi, the Islamabad-based analyst, said she expected PTI to return to agitations.

“Last time PTI tried to blackmail the government by holding Islamabad under siege in November. Now with the Champions Trophy scheduled next month, does this mean the PTI will again use it as their window of opportunity to sow chaos?” she wondered.

Pakistan is expected to host top eight cricketing nations in February, the first time it is holding such a major event since 1996, when it co-hosted the Cricket World Cup along with India and Sri Lanka.

The PTI had last year also given a call for protest in Islamabad in October, coinciding with the dates for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, which was taking place in Islamabad. However, a day before the event, the PTI decided to withdraw their call.

Hussain, though, was not entirely sure of the PTI achieving its objective by resuming agitation on the streets.

“They cannot possibly agitate more than they already have in last couple of years. They have set a certain bar for bringing people out on streets and causing mayhem. They need to match that level or surpass it,” he said. “It will be interesting to see what path they take now.”