PTI willing to hold dialogue with govt conditional on Imran’s release

ISLAMABAD: PTI on Wednesday finally agreed to sit with the government to resolve their differences, provided incarcerated PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan is released from jail.

Previously, the party and its founder repeatedly refused to engage in dialogue, referring to the incumbent government as “thieves and dacoits” in public statements.

“Let us sit together to jointly resolve our problems in an atmosphere in which Imran Khan is released from jail and Mian Sahib (PML-N President Nawaz Sharif) also comes forward for dialogue,” PTI MNA Ali Muhammad Khan said on the floor of the National Assembly on Wednesday.

He said the NA opposition leader, Mehmood Achakzai, confirmed he had received an invitation from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

“I asked Achakzai to go for dialogue. The entire PTI will support him so that the talk process will pave the way for political stability and resolution of our problems,” he said, adding that this may also lead to the release of Imran and his wife, Bushra Bibi, from jail.

He added the opposition had always displayed unity with the government on international matters in the past, recalling the May 2025 conflict with India.

“We expressed solidarity with the government during last year’s conflict with India, and now during the visit of a Chinese delegation to the National Assembly to mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China,” he added.

The treasury and the opposition on Wednesday warmly welcomed a high-level Chinese delegation, which visited the NA in connection with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China.

Although the opposition had already announced that it was not going to join the proceedings of the NA to protest against the continued imprisonment of Imran, later its members — led by the leader of the opposition — witnessed the NA proceedings till the presence of the Chinese delegation.

The Chinese delegation was led by Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China Cai Dafeng, as well as the ambassador of China to Pakistan, Jiang Zaidong.

On the occasion, NA Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said: “Today is a special occasion as we are celebrating the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China.”

Later, Achakzai also welcomed the Chinese delegation. Following the departure of the delegation, the opposition members also left the house.

In December 2025, PM Shehbaz had reiterated his offer for talks with the opposition but also emphasised that dialogue between the two sides could only proceed on “legitimate matters”.

However, the PTI had denied dialogue with the government until “ensuring a level-playing field” was provided to the party through its “street movement” — an agitation campaign against the government.