Call for sanity

In a party where confrontation and petulance rules, a rare moment of clarity has emerged -- oddly enough, or perhaps logically enough, from behind prison walls. Senior PTI leaders, including seasoned figures like Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Dr Yasmin Rashid, have jointly penned a letter calling for immediate political dialogue to end the ongoing political crisis. This appeal, coming from those who have endured over two years of incarceration following the May 9 events, must be viewed not only as a gesture of political maturity but also as a plea to rescue Pakistan from an entrenched state of confrontation and institutional imbalance. At a time when polarisation defines every facet of our political discourse, this letter represents a voice of reason, moderation and perhaps most importantly, experience. These are not dissidents looking for favours. They are PTI loyalists who have paid a steep personal price and still remain committed to their party. Their willingness to engage in dialogue signals a shift in tone the PTI leadership, and especially its incarcerated founder Imran Khan, would do well to acknowledge.

The message is simple: negotiation is the only way out of the crisis. Dialogue should not be a one-off engagement but a sustained process, and they stress the need for direct, consistent consultation with Imran Khan to lend legitimacy to any negotiating team. Their insistence on access to Imran Khan is critical. Yet, Imran has responded in a different tone, directing the party to prepare for a political movement after Ashura. While mobilisation is a legitimate political tool, the wisdom of doing so when the party’s space is shrinking and many of its core leaders are behind bars is questionable. The PTI's current posture of confrontation, particularly among hardliners and exiled social media figures, risks further marginalisation. This letter also exposes a stark divide within the PTI itself. Those on the outside, particularly the newer entrants and those unwilling to challenge Imran’s narrative, have failed to provide the party with a realistic strategy. Meanwhile, insiders suggest that fear of offending the party chief has stifled open discussion. In this context, the letter is a necessary internal intervention -- and possibly a last-ditch attempt by PTI veterans to steer the party towards relevance. Wednesday's scramble of a press conference by the whole gamut of PTI leaders should also be seen in this context as well as the sword hanging over the KP government post-reserved seats.

For the government, the response to this letter will be essential: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent overtures towards political dialogue can no longer remain rhetorical. Engaging with these moderate PTI voices could open a path to a broader political settlement, and more importantly, help neutralise hardliners who thrive on exclusion and grievance. Political stability in Pakistan cannot be built on the erasure of dissent or the forced obsolescence of opposition. It is also important to recognise that the current hybrid power dynamic may seem firmly in place, especially after recent events such as the reserved seats verdict and the diminishing street presence of the PTI. But history reminds us that exclusion breeds instability. If the goal is lasting peace and democratic continuity, then a weakened PTI should not be viewed as an opportunity to bury the party, but a moment to bring it back into the fold under pragmatic terms of political engagement. The ball is now in multiple courts. The government must extend a hand. The establishment must facilitate, not dominate. And Imran Khan must listen — not to the echo chambers outside Adiala Jail, but to the voices within Kot Lakhpat, who have stood with him through thick and thin and are now finally offering a roadmap to rescue his party from political oblivion.