FAISALABAD: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Public and Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah stated on Saturday that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is currently not in a position to initiate any movement, dismissing their recent calls for protests as unlikely to succeed at this time.
He urged PTI to accept Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s proposal for talks and to engage in negotiations aimed at amending election laws, emphasizing that dialogue is essential for resolving national issues.Speaking to journalists after Eid ul Adha prayers in Faisalabad, Sanaullah reiterated that opposition parties should engage with the government to address the country’s economic challenges, which affect every citizen.
Commenting on PTI’s recent announcement of a protest movement and its calls for nationwide demonstrations, Sanaullah warned that the government would not permit actions similar to the protests of May 9, 2023, or November 26, 2024 the recent marches led by PTI.PTI founder Imran Khan, currently jailed, has declared his intention to lead the party’s upcoming protests against the ruling coalition from prison. Senator Ali Zafar quoted Khan as instructing PTI leadership to make the planned nationwide protests “decisive.”
However, Sanaullah expressed skepticism about the viability of such protests under the current political climate, stating, “In my view, PTI cannot afford to launch a movement like in the past, given the current position of the government, the establishment, and those PTI has historically incited hate against. Any attempt to do so now will likely fail.”He emphasized that the government and its allies have repeatedly sought dialogue with PTI, noting that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had extended invitations for talks twice, but PTI leadership had not responded.
Sanaullah recalled efforts made last year to facilitate negotiations, involving the government’s delegation, including National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq and PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafique, which PTI abruptly ended over unresolved issues related to judicial commissions investigating the May 9 and November 26 incidents.He maintained that the government considers PTI a legitimate political party and remains open to dialogue. The Prime Minister’s latest offer for talks is still on the table, with the National Assembly Speaker also willing to mediate.
Meanwhile, amidst internal challenges, PTI has declared Imran Khan as its patron-in-chief, with Barrister Gohar Ali Khan continuing as party chairman. The party has announced plans for a nationwide protest drive aimed at removing the current government and reclaiming what it describes as its “stolen mandate,” although no specific date has yet been announced for the protests
