PM adviser Rana Sanaullah says government and senior PTI leaders are in contact as the opposition party prepares for its planned march on Islamabad.
The federal government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) are holding “off-the-record talks” over the opposition party’s planned October 4 long march towards Islamabad, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah said on Thursday.
Speaking on Geo News’ morning programme Geo Pakistan, Sanaullah said discussions were continuing with senior PTI leaders as the government prepared for the possibility of the march proceeding.
Government Says Preparations Made for March
Sanaullah said the government had made arrangements to prevent participants from entering Islamabad if PTI leadership did not call off the proposed protest.
The PTI had originally scheduled the march for September 27 but later postponed it to October 4. The party has said the demonstration is aimed at seeking the release of its jailed founder Imran Khan and what it describes as the restoration of constitutional supremacy.
Sanaullah also described a provincial government-led march towards the federal capital as contrary to constitutional and legal provisions.
PTI Accepts Government Invitation
The situation developed further later on Thursday when PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said his party had accepted the government’s invitation for talks.
According to Geo News, Gohar said government and opposition representatives were expected to meet at noon on October 2 at the office of the National Assembly speaker. He said the decision followed consultations among opposition leaders.
Gohar said PTI remained open to negotiations and stressed that discussions should focus on resolving political issues.
Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas said the opposition wanted negotiations without preconditions.
October 4 March Remains on PTI Schedule
Despite the emerging dialogue, Gohar reiterated that the October 4 long march remained the party’s announced position.
The planned march was moved from September 27 to October 4 by PTI’s political committee, with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi announcing the revised date. Reuters also reported the postponement earlier in September.
PTI has maintained that the march will be peaceful and has linked its demands to the release of Imran Khan and what the party describes as constitutional issues.
Governor’s Rule in KP Also Discussed
Sanaullah also addressed the possibility of imposing governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, saying the Constitution provides a procedure for such a move and that the option remained under consideration.
He said any such decision would have to follow the constitutional process and receive parliamentary approval.
However, a separate report published by Geo News on October 1 said the federal government had, for the time being, decided against taking immediate action to impose emergency or governor’s rule in the province, according to sources.
Political Dialogue Takes Centre Stage
The latest developments mark a shift from public exchanges over the planned march towards direct political engagement.
Earlier, PTI had offered talks while rejecting reports of established backchannel contacts, with party Secretary General Salman Akram Raja saying on September 28 that the government had not yet given a clear signal for negotiations.
With PTI now accepting the government’s invitation, the proposed October 2 meeting could provide a forum for both sides to discuss the march and broader political demands.
Whether the talks lead to any change in the October 4 plan remains to be determined.
