If Government Is Serious About Talks, the Prime Minister Should Invite Us Himself: Mahmood Khan Achakzai

Islamabad — Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Mahmood Khan Achakzai has said that if the government is serious about negotiations, the Prime Minister should extend the invitation himself; otherwise, they cannot trust those who mock the talks process.

According to Express News, opposition leaders Mahmood Khan Achakzai, Barrister Gohar, and others held a press conference on the current situation. Speaking on the occasion, Achakzai said that recording opposition leaders’ speeches is a constitutional requirement and should be done so that the people of Pakistan can decide what their representatives are saying.

He said parliamentary speeches serve as a means of preserving the history of nations, and that they even have to struggle for things that are their right in Parliament. The Speaker’s authority should be in accordance with the book of rules, he added, noting that production orders are issued for some members of the National Assembly and not for others.

Achakzai said he said nothing wrong in his speech yesterday, yet his four-and-a-half-minute speech was presented as nine minutes long, even though not a single word in it was against the country. He noted that in France, millions of people took to the streets, hundreds of vehicles were set on fire, and the Eiffel Tower was set ablaze — yet protesters were not shot at.

The opposition leader asked who would now trust those who mock negotiations, recalling that they had demanded a meeting with the PTI founder for political talks, and that it was their seriousness that led Maulana Fazlur Rehman to meet the Prime Minister.

Achakzai said the government has made clear that the Prime Minister should invite them himself for talks, and that there will be no more negotiations conducted in a mocking manner. He demanded that a committee headed by Khawaja Asif be formed to investigate corruption allegations against the current government.

The opposition leader said they will fight the undemocratic system in a democratic manner, and that it is the duty of every citizen who wishes to save Pakistan to stand up for democracy. Pakistan needs a strong Parliament, and institutions should remain within their domain, he said, vowing that whatever happens, they will not hand Pakistan over to an undemocratic system, because that system is a path to breaking the country.

Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas said the rule of law and justice are essential for the country’s progress, and that without the rule of law, neither the political crisis nor the economic crisis can be resolved.

He said justice is necessary to restore public trust in the system, and that the trust deficit between rulers and the people is currently at its highest in Pakistan’s history — yet fabricated cases and FIRs continue.

He said the people’s mandate was robbed on February 8, 2026, and that robbing the people of their right to vote is the biggest robbery of all — an assault on the Constitution and the law.

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar said that three years of the assembly are about to pass, yet they still have not understood the formula of loyalty to the state. “We have always said: Pakistan first, and the state first,” he said.

He said they are perceived and treated as if they are not loyal to the state, and this perception must end. “While we were negotiating with the government, our government was removed. We sat in talks with sincerity and without any conditions,” he said.

Barrister Gohar recalled that the opposition leader moved a resolution in the assembly over members being detained in September 2024, and that a special committee was formed to protect members in Parliament so they could speak freely for the people.

The PTI chairman said PTI’s signboards are broken while those of the PML-N are not. “By breaking signboards, you are breaking people’s hearts and inciting hatred. We are loyal to Pakistan and the state, and will always remain loyal, while continuing to fight for democracy,” he said.

He demanded a meeting with the PTI founder, noting that the founder’s wife, three sisters, nephew, and cousin are currently in jail. “The nation will ask us for answers — why are members of a political family kept in prison?” he asked.

Barrister Gohar said terrorism is a scourge that must be eliminated at all costs, and operations should be conducted under the National Action Plan. “A narrative of hatred should not be built in the name of this war. Are political transfers and the breaking of signboards part of an operation against terrorism, or an attempt to erase a party?” he asked.

The PTI chairman said they support action against terrorism, not political revenge, and that the people will decide on these measures.