Govt-opposition backchannel likely to open this week

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has said that the resolution of disputes in political matters can only happen through talks and efforts should be made to restore negotiations.

Talking to The News on Sunday, he said that it was good to try to get results by adopting a soft tone in politics, but the tone is not yielding any solution. “At present, the doors of negotiations are closed and the other party has terminated them. Despite this, Speaker Ayaz Sadiq has maintained the committee. However, the government has not sent us any message, not even a WhatsApp message,” he added.

In the meantime, it has been learnt that Barrister Gohar Ali Khan is likely to meet the speaker of the National Assembly at the Parliament House on Tuesday when he will attend a meeting of the National Assembly’s Committee on Human Rights.

Barrister Gohar said the speaker is not a member of the Human Rights Committee, but a meeting is expected in the Parliament House.

He said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur would participate in the Swabi meeting in connection with the “black day” of February 8 and would also address it. “I myself will participate in the meeting,” he added. He said that he did not hope that a PTI rally would be allowed at Minar-i-Pakistan on February 8. “However, Alia Hamza Malik has expressed the hope that she will get permission for it,” he maintained.

Meanwhile, political sources have learnt that the backchannel between the government and opposition committees is likely to be established this week, after which any final possibility of resuming the talks can be expected. Sources insist that the open comments and questions about the negotiations lead to confusion instead of creating an atmosphere of success and this is the reason why both sides are considering adopting the path of “silent” communication. After that, when there is a result, then everything should be explained in front of the public. Sources say that if the experiment of this new backchannel is successful, then there may be no need for any other backdoor.

Meanwhile, the PTI will seek permission from its founding chairman for participation in an all-party conference on the Kashmir issue to be held in Islamabad on February 5 by the Pakistan Muslim League-Q. Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said that he had not yet received an invitation to participate in the conference

Meanwhile, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja promised the party would not hold any protests during the Champions Trophy -- the mega sporting event starting in Pakistan on February 19. However, he said the party would go ahead with its February 8 rally in Swabi and reach out to all the democratic forces to form an alliance, barring the PMLN and PPP.

Speaking at a private TV channel talk show, he rejected speculations and maintained that the PTI would neither disrupt the Champions Trophy nor it had any such intentions. The PTI secretary general said they tried to move towards the truth and demanded the formation of a judicial commission on the May 9, 2023 and November 26, 2024 events. However, he added, the rulers have no desire to “move towards the truth in the current system”.

Raja said his party would continue to raise voice, adding that “they (rulers) want to suppress our voice through coercion”. He maintained that the people are not ready to accept the government. He said that on February 8, they would hold a rally in Swabi and raise their voice. Barring the PMLN and the PPP, he added, they would go to all the democratic forces and form a big alliance with all the parties.