Rhetoric or reality?

In a political landscape as volatile and unpredictable as Pakistan’s, the return of the PTI to the negotiation table comes not a moment too soon – and perhaps several too late. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan’s announcement that the party is once again open to "serious and result-oriented" dialogue signals a recognition, however belated, that political impasse cannot be overcome through slogans, threats or overseas protests. Yet, history offers little confidence that this will be a sustained pivot towards political maturity. The breakdown of previous contacts between the PTI and the establishment was predictable. Whether it was KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur’s incendiary threats of an armed march to Islamabad or the global campaign against state institutions during sensitive foreign visits, the PTI’s pattern of aggressive posturing has repeatedly sabotaged any goodwill it might have generated. The party’s insistence on confrontational methods, even as it talks of reconciliation, only reinforces the impression that it is more interested in optics than outcomes.

This duality of demanding dialogue while inciting confrontation has become the PTI’s defining political dilemma. Since its ouster in April 2022, the PTI has alternated between populist agitation and half-hearted negotiation. Each time there appeared to be a glimmer of progress, it was quickly extinguished – either by the party’s internal confusion, public antagonism or strategic overreach. The party’s refusal to form a coalition after its strong performance in the February 2024 elections was a pivotal moment. Rather than consolidating influence and creating a pathway for Imran Khan, the party chose ideological rigidity over political pragmatism. The decision to not align with the PPP, which may have opened doors in parliament, only deepened its isolation. Similarly, the decision to dissolve the Punjab and KP assemblies prematurely, without securing any tangible gains, was a strategic blunder that left the party weakened on the ground.

Observers are right to point out that the PTI remains popular, especially among younger and urban voters. But popularity without policy, pressure without purpose, and protest without plan are no substitutes for effective governance or constructive opposition. The recent Indo-Pak escalation has also shifted national attention to matters of sovereignty and security, leaving the PTI’s rhetoric feeling increasingly tone-deaf in a country where stability is a precious commodity. Perhaps the biggest miscalculation was the belief that the May 9, 2023 events would spark a revolution. Instead, they became a watershed moment. To its credit, the PTI appears to be recalibrating. Gohar Khan’s emphasis on dialogue “for the country’s sake” is a step in the right direction. But intent must be backed by discipline. The internal fissures within the party PTI need to be addressed and the party must decide if it wants to be a serious political force capable of negotiation, compromise and long-term vision. The state too must recognise the value of engaging with a party that still commands significant public support. However, it is ultimately the government the PTI must learn to engage with if it hopes to regain political relevance. The real breakthrough won’t come from pressuring institutions abroad or threatening chaos at home. It will come from owning its mistakes and returning to the business of politics.