ISLAMABAD – A major breakthrough reported in government-opposition negotiations, with the two sides moving beyond their initial differences and working on a joint draft agreement after the second round of talks on Saturday.
Negotiators are now focusing on the final wording of a proposed agreement and a joint declaration. The negotiating teams successfully narrowed several key differences and prepared a draft based on the demands discussed by both sides. A formal announcement is expected once the document is finalised.
But despite the progress inside the negotiating room, one major issue continues to hang over the process: PTI’s planned October 4 march towards Islamabad. The talks are being held against the backdrop of mounting political tensions, competing demands and warnings over possible confrontation if the protest proceeds.
National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq is facilitating the dialogue, which brings together representatives of the federal government, PPP and opposition for one of the most significant attempts in nearly three years to address the country’s political standoff through direct negotiations.
The second round of negotiations focused on the demands presented by both sides. According to sources, the discussions produced enough common ground for the committees to begin preparing a joint document. The proposed agreement is expected to record the areas on which the parties have reached understanding and outline the commitments they are prepared to make.
The breakthrough comes after years of sharp political divisions between PTI and the federal government. At the centre of the opposition’s concerns is the situation of jailed PTI founder Imran Khan, along with broader political issues. The government and its coalition partners, meanwhile, have been pressing for the proposed PTI protest march to be called off.
PPP has also entered the effort, supporting political dialogue while calling for the opposition to abandon the planned march.
The second round was chaired by National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, who urged the participants to maintain the constructive environment established during the first meeting.
Even as negotiators worked on a joint agreement, PTI’s planned October 4 march remained one of the biggest obstacles. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi made clear earlier Saturday that he remained committed to the protest.
Afridi said the march would begin from Gandi Chowk in Lakki Marwat at 1pm on October 4 and described the planned mobilisation as a constitutional exercise in peaceful protest. He said PTI would continue its struggle until the supremacy of the Constitution and law was ensured and an independent judiciary restored.
Afridi also said his party would not permit a repeat of the events of May 9, 2023. His position, however, immediately drew a response from the government side.
PPP Senator Sherry Rehman said her party was working to resolve political differences through democratic means. Asked about Afridi’s insistence on the October 4 march, Rehman said the decision ultimately belonged to PTI but declined to make further comments while negotiations were still underway.
She acknowledged that the parties had different positions, but said the purpose of negotiations was to bring those positions to the table and discuss them.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari had earlier urged PTI to call off the long march unconditionally. Bilawal argued that ending the protest would allow political forces to focus on broader challenges, including terrorism and threats from neighbouring countries.
He also welcomed cooperation between the government and PPP in engaging with the opposition to seek what he described as political solutions to political problems.
While negotiations have produced a draft agreement, PTI officials continue to insist that the October 4 march will take place. PTI KP Secretary Information Shaukat Yousafzai said the protest would begin from the southern districts and be led by Chief Minister Afridi.
The political negotiations are also taking place alongside a warning from Pakistan’s military leadership. On Friday, the army’s top brass warned that attempts to create unrest or produce a situation similar to May 9 would be dealt with with decisive force.
The warning came as political parties were attempting to prevent the dispute from escalating ahead of the planned protest. The current negotiations are particularly notable because they represent the first formal coming together of federal government and PTI representatives in almost three years.
During Friday’s opening session, both sides presented their positions but did not publicly disclose their detailed demands. Despite keeping their demands largely private, representatives from both camps expressed optimism about the possibility of progress.
