Hollow Talks and Claims Achieve Nothing: Barrister Gohar Responds to Bilawal’s Offer

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has responded to Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s offer of negotiations, saying that hollow talks and claims serve no purpose, particularly when PTI’s government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was removed amid the negotiation process.

Speaking to the media outside the Islamabad High Court, Barrister Gohar said PTI had held formal meetings with the government’s negotiation committee, but questioned who had subsequently directed the other side to withdraw from the talks.

“We sat down with the government’s negotiation committee. Who then told them to abandon the negotiations? Who made you leave the negotiating table, and why?” he asked.

The PTI chairman questioned whether negotiations should be abandoned altogether whenever a deadlock emerges, stressing the need to identify the people who had caused the government side to walk away from the table and determine their motives.

Commenting on the political situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gohar said PTI had strongly opposed the possible imposition of an emergency or Governor’s Rule through every available constitutional and political forum.

He described Governor’s Rule as illegitimate and unlawful, arguing that the province had not faced circumstances that could justify imposing either an emergency or Governor’s Rule. He also claimed that the entire provincial bureaucracy had been replaced.

Gohar further said PTI had been unable to establish contact with former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi since October 11. He added that the party had also been unable to contact its provincial lawmakers and the Speaker of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly.

He alleged that efforts were being made to dismantle a major and popular political party, calling such actions contrary to the spirit of democracy.

The PTI chairman urged those responsible to immediately stop what he described as attempts to undermine the party, reiterating that meaningful dialogue could not succeed without sincerity and a willingness to remain engaged in the negotiation process.