PTI’s Gohar urges govt to hold ‘unconditional’ dialogue

ISLAMABAD: PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan on Wednesday urged the government to hold “unconditional” talks with the opposition, saying that there should be no conditions in dialogue between political parties.

Speaking to the media, Gohar said that it was wrong to say that negotiations would only be held on specific topics.

“It is wrong to say that negotiations will be held on this topic but this topic cannot be included in negotiations,” he said.

“If you want to hold dialogue, you should speak on all topics,” he said. At the same time, the PTI chairman said that he did not have the authority to negotiate with the government.

He said that Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Allama Raja Nasir Abbas — who were recently appointed opposition leaders in the National Assembly and the Senate, respectively — had been given the authority to hold talks with the government.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has stated that PTI founder Imran Khan has given Achakzai and Abbas the responsibility of making decisions — be it about talks with the government or protests.

“I will give them my consultation if they require it,” Gohar said.

He further said that if the government wished to “shake the hand” of the opposition, it should do so with both of its hands.

“The stick and carrot policy does not work. [Throwing] a punch with one hand and extending the other one does not work,” he said.

Gohar also said that PTI founder Imran was facing a multitude of cases, adding that the ex-premier’s lawyers should be allowed to meet him.

He said that a PTI delegation had held a meeting with National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq and highlighted the fact that meetings with Imran were not being allowed.

Last month, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had reiterated his offer for talks with the opposition but also emphasised that dialogue between the two sides could only proceed on “legitimate matters”.

However, PTI leader Barrister Ali Zafar had said that no dialogue could be held with the government until it allowed meetings with Imran.

Meanwhile, in his maiden speech as the National Assembly opposition leader on Monday, Achakzai had extended an olive branch to the government and offered “unconditional support” to empower Parliament.

PTI rejects NA’s passage of bill seeking to amend Elections Act

Separately, the PTI rejected the passage of the Elections (Amendment) Bill 2026 by the National Assembly, terming it a “direct assault” on the fundamental principles of the right to information, transparency, and accountability.

“This bill grants parliamentarians the ability to hide details of their assets from the public under the vague and undefined guise of ‘security concerns,’ which essentially provides a legal shield for the current ruling class,” the party said in a statement.

“Such laws do not strengthen democracy; instead, they weaken it and severely undermine the public’s trust in the government,” it said.

The PTI alleged that parties which claimed to champion democracy, transparency, and parliamentary values were now legislating to “conceal the ill-gotten wealth” they had accumulated through “corrupt practices and misuse of power”.

“The nation is well aware of the sources of their illicit wealth; it is the result of corruption, looting, and the abuse of authority,” it said.

“The public is fully informed, and no law can hide the truth. This bill is an affront to the consciousness of the people.

“These parties, who repeatedly preach about accountability, good governance, and democratic values, are practically erecting walls of immunity and protection for themselves,” it stated.

The PTI contended that such laws proved that some political parties represented not the public but their own personal and class interests, and the dual standard was hollowing out Pakistan’s democratic system from within.

“If any member of parliament has genuine security concerns, the solution is not to hide assets, but for the government to ensure the protection of their life and property,” it said.

“Keeping asset details hidden from the public opens the door to corruption and provides the political elite with unjust protection for their ill-gotten wealth,” it said.

The PTI said that this bill contradicted the global principles of transparent governance and was a “conspiracy” to push Pakistan further into the quagmire of unchecked corruption.

“In line with the vision of PTI’s leader Imran Khan, the party has always been a strong advocate for transparency. Therefore, this controversial amendment must be immediately revoked,” it said.

“The nation has the right to be informed about the sources of its representatives’ wealth. Transparency is not a privilege but the foundation of democracy,” it added.

from Dawn - Home https://ift.tt/mA5qjEb