Backchannel talks between the government and PTI suspended

ISLAMABAD – Backchannel talks between the Pakistani government and the opposition party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have temporarily halted, with both sides shifting their attention to formal dialogue discussions, sources confirmed.

An informed source revealed that there have been no Backchannel talks since December 19, 2024, when the last such session took place. The meeting included key government players, such as a minister and an official, while PTI was represented by a senior party leader.

Backchannel talks had previously been active during critical moments, such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit and PTI’s planned protest march to Islamabad on November 24. On the eve of the SCO summit, PTI had announced a protest at D-Chowk, Islamabad, but after backchannel negotiations, the government agreed to allow doctors from PIMS hospital to visit PTI founder Imran Khan in jail. In return, PTI called off the protest.

The discussions continued into November when PTI announced its final call for the march on Islamabad. Based on these negotiations, several senior PTI leaders, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, and Barrister Saif, were permitted to meet with Imran Khan. However, during these interactions, Imran Khan insisted on his immediate release from prison, a demand that was not met. Imran also agreed to halt a protest at Sangjani, on the outskirts of Islamabad, although his wife, Bushra Bibi, led the march to D-Chowk, resulting in violent clashes on November 26.

The events of November 26 marked a significant turning point for the Backchannel talks, with the government concluding that PTI’s second-tier leadership had little influence and that Imran Khan was unwilling to cooperate. The government accused PTI of attempting to instigate violence, while the party alleged that the government used force against its protesters.

In the wake of these events, a high-level backchannel meeting took place between the government and PTI in the third week of December. During this meeting, the PTI was given a stark choice: continue its politics of agitation and confrontation or opt for reconciliation. The government made it clear that if PTI chose to persist with its confrontational approach, including violence and attacks on the military, the backchannel talks would yield no results. Conversely, a shift toward reconciliation would require a significant change in PTI’s political strategy.

Following this meeting, formal dialogue between the two parties began. However, sources indicate that there have been no further developments in backchannel communications, with the focus now shifting entirely to the formal negotiations process.

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