Khan calls off talks with govt over delay in judicial commission formation

Pakistan’s main opposition party — Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) —called off negotiations with the federal government on Wednesday, citing a lack of progress on its demand for the formation of a judicial commission to investigate the D-Chowk firing incident.

The announcement came through Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, who spoke to reporters outside Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail after meeting the former prime minister.

The development comes amid ongoing negotiations between the federal government and PTI. In the third round of talks held last week, PTI prioritized the release of its leader, former Prime Minister Imran Khan, as the top agenda item.

Barrister Gohar and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur also met Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir in Peshawar. However, Pakistan’s military establishment raised concerns over attempts to politicize the meeting, describing the portrayal of the discussions as “unfortunate.”

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Security sources alleged that Barrister Gohar attempted to shift the focus of the meeting toward political matters, prompting a firm response from the army chief, who emphasized that such topics should be discussed with politicians, not the military.

Imran Khan had described the meeting as a “positive step for Pakistan’s stability.”

“The meeting with the army chief is a welcome step,” Khan said. “If dialogue has started, it is good for Pakistan. I have always advocated engagement with the establishment, as it is essential for the country’s progress.”

'We had given government seven days'

“Imran Khan made it clear that we had given the government seven days to announce a judicial commission comprising three senior Supreme Court judges and three senior High Court judges,” Gohar said while talking to the media today. “Despite our hopes for meaningful dialogue, the government failed to respond.”

Khan expressed frustration over what he described as the "political coldness" preventing progress. “Unfortunately, the government has shown no willingness to act on our demands, leaving us no choice but to call off the talks,” Gohar quoted Khan as saying.

The PTI chairman emphasized his commitment to continuing his political struggle "within the bounds of the constitution and the law." He also announced plans to rally all opposition parties to unite against the government’s inaction.

The former prime minister has long called for an independent judicial commission to investigate allegations of election rigging and other irregularities.

Khan's decision to suspend talks marks a significant escalation in the standoff between the PTI and the ruling coalition, further polarizing Pakistan’s already tense political landscape.

'Commission cannot be formed by midnight'

Meanwhile, speaking to the media outside Parliament House, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Irfan Siddiqui said the PTI should formally notify them in writing if it no longer wishes to continue the negotiation process.

When a journalist asked, “Can a judicial commission be formed by midnight tonight?” Siddiqui replied, “The commission cannot be formed by midnight.”

In response to a follow-up question about the delay in forming the judicial commission, Siddiqui said, “Who told you the commission is not being formed? How do they suddenly have a revelation that it won’t happen?”