A Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) parliamentary party meeting turned into a heated disagreement over who had the authority to negotiate on the party’s behalf, with chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan contradicting Azam Swati’s claim that Imran Khan had authorised him to hold talks.
During the meeting, Swati said that the PTI founder had given him the authority to negotiate. Barrister Gohar interrupted him, saying that he had personally met Imran Khan in jail and asked him whether he had authorised Swati to negotiate.
According to Barrister Gohar, Imran Khan denied giving Swati the authority and clarified that the responsibility for negotiations rested entirely with Allama Raja Nasir Abbas and Mahmood Khan Achakzai.
Swati left the meeting after the exchange.
Earlier, media reports had indicated that a majority of participants in the parliamentary party meeting supported negotiations with the government. Noor-ul-Haq Qadri repeatedly called for talks, saying, “Negotiations, negotiations, negotiations,” prompting applause from participants.
Mashal Yousafzai, meanwhile, expressed a lack of confidence in Sohail Afridi and the opposition leadership. She said that while Imran Khan was ill, Afridi had focused on a long march instead of negotiations.
Asad Qaiser responded by saying that Imran Khan had expressed confidence in Sohail Afridi, Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Allama Raja Nasir Abbas.
Shafqat Awan also told Yousafzai not to blame party members or Afridi. He said that party members were accusing their own colleagues instead of giving the government a tough time.
Separately, PTI issued a declaration after its joint parliamentary party meeting, describing the imposition of emergency rule and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) as an attack on provincial autonomy and the Constitution.
The declaration called for the immediate withdrawal of both measures and the restoration of the provincial government under Sohail Afridi’s leadership.
The parliamentary party also expressed serious concern over raids and arrests targeting elected leaders, party organisations and workers, and demanded the release of detained party leaders.
The declaration reaffirmed the party’s commitment to PTI founder Imran Khan, his leadership, decisions and vision. It also called for the immediate release of Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in accordance with legal requirements.
