ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Imran Khan on Saturday announced a seven-member committee to negotiate with the government shortly after a senior cabinet member of the ruling coalition ruled out talks with him amid continuing exodus of founding leaders of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.
Khan embroiled himself in a bitter rivalry with the army and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government after his ouster from power in a parliamentary vote of no-confidence last year which he blamed on a “foreign conspiracy” implemented by his political rivals and top generals.
Tensions intensified further after he was arrested by paramilitary Rangers on the instructions of the country’s anti-graft body on May 9, leading to violent protests in which several government buildings and military installations were torched by people carrying PTI flags.
The former prime minister made an offer to negotiate with state authorities on Friday amid a massive crackdown on his party, as several PTI supporters were arrested and many of its leaders were announcing to leave.
“On the instructions of PTI chairman Imran Khan, a negotiating team has been formed for talks with the government,” the PTI announced on Twitter. “A notification has been issued in the name of all seven people included in the negotiating team.”
The social media post added the PTI team would discuss a plan of action with the government regarding the forthcoming elections in the country.
It said the committee would include former ministers, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Pervez Khattak, Murad Saeed, Hamad Azhar, along with the ex-speaker of the National Assembly, Asad Qaiser, among others.
Most of the people named in the committee are either in the custody of law enforcement agencies since the May 9 violence or staying underground to avoid arrest.
It is also not clear how the negotiating team will engage the government after information minister Mariyam Aurangzeb ruled out talks with those “who attacked sensitive installations and buildings which were symbols of national pride” and “poisoned the minds of the youth.”
“Imran [Khan] was not ready to sit with the opposition parties on critical issues [during his tenure in power],” she said in an official handout.
The minister’s statement was issued as some of the founding PTI leaders, including the party president in Sindh, Ali Zaidi, and former governor of the same province, Imran Ismail, announced to quit the party.
Both leaders condemned the May 9 violence in their statements.
Ex-Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan's aide and former governor of Sindh province Imran Ismail gestures during a news conference in Karachi on May 27, 2023. (AN Photo)
“I am not sure if I will continue to stay in politics or not,” said Ismail during a news conference at the Karachi Press Club.
Zaidi, who served as the minister of ports and shipping in Khan’s administration, said the violent protests against the military were “wrong,” adding that Pakistani citizens slept peacefully at night since their soldiers were there to protect the borders.
“After much deliberation, I have decided to quit politics,” he continued. “I will also resign from the positions I hold within the party.”
Amid the ongoing political situation, the government also revoked the diplomatic passports issued to top PTI leaders, including former federal ministers Qureshi, Khattak and Asad Umar.
