Islamabad [Pakistan], January 5: Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has asserted that the government is not under any pressure to hold talks with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), emphasizing that the goal of the negotiations is to alleviate political tensions. In an interview on the Express News program Centre Stage, Asif stated that discussions between the government and the PTI, the party founded by Imran Khan, have not made significant progress yet. He added that PTI has been given one week to advance the negotiations.
Asif noted that the talks so far have been limited to discussions without any concrete results. He emphasized, “There is absolutely no pressure on the government to negotiate with PTI; we are exploring a way to reduce political tension.”
The Defence Minister further explained that if the government had been under pressure, Pakistan’s economy would not be showing signs of recovery. He pointed out that the ongoing economic recovery is an indication that the reduction in political tensions is positively impacting the country’s financial stability.
The second round of talks between the government and PTI has not made significant progress, as the party’s leadership is seeking regular meetings with Imran Khan to finalize their list of demands. The government and PTI are expected to meet again next week. PTI has publicly outlined two major demands: the formation of a judicial commission to investigate the May 9 and November 26 violence and the release of political prisoners. PTI has set an ultimatum for talks to conclude by the end of this month.
During a recent meeting, PTI leaders were expected to present a written list of demands, but they requested more time to finalize them after consulting with Imran Khan. Pakistan’s National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, addressing a press conference, mentioned that the meeting took place in a more positive atmosphere compared to previous discussions. He added that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur presented “excellent proposals” and spoke openly during the meeting.
Sadiq highlighted that the consensus among all parties was to continue the dialogue for the betterment of Pakistan, with discussions covering critical issues such as the economy, terrorism, and other national concerns.