Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has postponed its April 9 rally in Rawalpindi’s Liaquat Bagh following a request from the government, as Islamabad prepares to host talks between the United States (US) and Iran.

 

JD Vance is set to lead a US delegation to Pakistan for negotiations with Iran starting April 11, according to the White House.

The decision was conveyed after a meeting between government and opposition leaders at Parliament House, where a delegation led by Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar met PTI leaders and asked them to defer the rally.

The delegation also included Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, along with MNAs Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Naveed Qamar.

Senate Opposition Leader Raja Nasir Abbas said that the PTI political committee decided to postpone the public gathering in response to the government’s request.

PTI chief Gohar Ali Khan, however, said that the decision followed directions from jailed party founder Imran Khan.

He stated that the party received a message from Khan through Barrister Salman Safdar, who met him at Adiala Jail earlier in the day.

According to sources, Khan issued the directive during a one-hour meeting with Safdar, held on orders of the Islamabad High Court, and asked the party to call off the rally in view of the high-stakes diplomatic activity.

 

Sources added that PTI’s political committee had already taken the decision before the government delegation arrived with the same request.

Khan also informed Safdar that his right eye medical condition had improved and did not raise concerns about his health or prison facilities.

Safdar also briefed him on the appeal filed against his conviction in the £190 million reference case and discussed other pending legal matters.

Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif said that the US and Iran and their allies had agreed to a two-week ceasefire “everywhere” following mediation by his government.

“I... extend deepest gratitude to the leadership of both the countries and invite their delegations to Islamabad on Friday, 10th April 2026, to further negotiate for a conclusive agreement to settle all disputes,” he wrote in a post on X.

In a separate post, he said Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian had confirmed Tehran’s participation in the Islamabad talks.