Imran rejects dialogue path despite Gandapur’s ‘important message’

ISLAMABAD: Just as hopes for a fresh round of dialogue between the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the federal government appeared to be gaining momentum -- reportedly with encouragement from key quarters -- PTI Chairman Imran Khan has opted once again for mass mobilisation over negotiations.

According to well-placed sources, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Ameen Gandapur had recently told Khan and his party leaders to have received a positive signal from the ‘right quarters’ to initiate talks with the federal government. These signals were interpreted as an indirect nod from the establishment, which has distanced itself from direct political engagement with PTI in recent months.

However, when the message was conveyed to the incarcerated PTI chief, he reportedly declined the offer and instructed his party leadership to prepare for street agitation instead. Party insiders claim that Khan remains convinced that public pressure remains the most effective tool to force a political breakthrough.

This marks the second major breakdown of a possible dialogue initiative in recent months. In November last year, another attempt collapsed when PTI’s leadership, allegedly under the influence of former First Lady Bushra Bibi, decided to push its rally beyond Sangjani to D-Chowk in Islamabad. The move, sources admit, alienated potential mediators and hardened the other side’s stance at a time when it was reportedly open to talks.

Interestingly, this time around, Barrister Gohar had conveyed Khan’s approval in principle to respond positively to a public dialogue offer made by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the floor of the National Assembly. The offer came in the wake of PTI’s rare display of unity with the government and armed forces during the recent border tensions with India. Yet, within a week, Khan reversed his position in a subsequent meeting with senior party leaders, citing a “misunderstanding” and reiterating that no negotiations would take place unless they were directly with the establishment.

Sources familiar with internal deliberations said that CM Gandapur informed the PTI leadership that there was a clear indication from influential power brokers to move ahead with government-level talks. Leaders aligned with Gandapur believe that any understanding with the government would carry the implicit endorsement of the establishment and could open doors for legal relief for Khan as well as a broader political normalisation. However, with the establishment firmly refusing to engage directly, attention has now turned to a delegation of US-based Pakistani doctors currently visiting Pakistan. Speculation is rife that informal backchannel efforts could be channeled through this group to help break the deadlock.

Despite repeated setbacks, there remains cautious optimism within some PTI circles that dialogue remains the only viable path forward. But with Khan once again betting on street power over negotiation, the stalemate appears far from over.

It is believed the move to push for or prefer agitation and commotion over negotiations would certainly cost the PTI an opportunity to settle things before any adverse decisions are announced in May 9 cases or second Toshakhana reference. Mass mobilisation to secure release of Imran Khan is seemingly impossible, a source said, adding adversarial legal battle is not over yet and is time consuming.