Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi claimed on X on Sunday that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had agreed to sign a written agreement and submit an implementation plan within 72 hours, mainly covering counterterrorism initiatives, during the talks held over the weekend but then backtracked.
According to Naqvi, the PTI had agreed to:
- Reconsider the Police Act 2026 in light of the security situation and the need to protect security matters from political interference
- Prevent terrorists from operating freely or finding safe havens in the province
- Unequivocal condemnation of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and all other terrorist groups
- Support the national policy on Afghan refugees, including repatriation and dismantling Afghan camps in KP
- No contact with the interim Afghan government
- Substantial funding for counterterrorism operations and the police
- Full provincial ownership of counterterrorism measures and stronger cooperation with the armed forces
- Decisions on counterterrorism in the former Fata and merged districts
- Implementation of the National Action Plan
“Last night, during the final phase of negotiations, the KP government backed out of these commitments. Security must not be politicised while the province is at war,” he said.
The meeting between the opposition and federal government at Parliament House began after 4pm on Saturday, with discussions focusing on the PTI’s planned Oct 4 march to Islamabad. The talks extended into early hours of Sunday but failed to yield any encouraging results.
However, shortly before 3am on Sunday, Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, who was part of the opposition delegation, told the media that the talks had not succeeded in a breakthrough.
He went on to say that the deadlock was over jailed PTI founder Imran Khan’s meeting with his personal physicians, and how to address terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
But Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry, who was part of the government’s delegation in the talks, said the talks failed primarily because the “KP government could not assure whether they would cooperate in the fight against terrorism in the future”. He alleged that the PTI’s provincial government in KP did not want to implement the National Action Plan and that the PTI delegation that participated in the talks had also left the venue “disappointed because the KP government did not cooperate on terrorism”.
Following these allegations, KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi posted on X that he was sharing the text of the draft he sent to the opposition’s negotiating team, saying that “no even one demand in there was unconstitutional or illegal”.
He then went on to list the demands, calling for:
- Arrangements for meetings between the prime minister and the leaders of the opposition in both houses of Parliament to discuss important political, national, constitutional, legal, and democratic issues, particularly those facing delays. “The two sides shall be bound to ensure effective and feasible progress within two months towards resolving the aforementioned matters through mutual consultation and negotiations”
- The prime minister to form a joint political negotiating committee comprising representatives from the ruling coalition, the PPP and opposition parties. “This committee shall engage in continuous negotiations with the opposition on national and political matters, points of disagreements, and other important issues, and shall seek feasible solutions through mutual consensus … The committee shall ensure significant progress on negotiations and resolutions within one month of its formation and shall present its recommendations to the relevant leadership”
- All legal, human and medical rights of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi, as provided under the Jail Manual, the Constitution of Pakistan and prevailing laws, be ensured without discrimination. “Where legally applicable, necessary medical facilities and treatment shall be provided, taking into account the medical opinions, directives and advice of their personal or nominated doctors.”
- Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi be allowed, in accordance with the Jail Manual and relevant laws, to meet their family members, nominated lawyers and authorised or nominated companions. “Such meetings shall be conducted in accordance with the law and jail rules and regulations. However, the facility of meetings shall not be used by any party for political or other purposes prohibited by law.”
- Consideration of applications filed against sentences and other legal petitions by all persons in custody, including Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi, women, elderly and sick prisoners, be initiated or completed within 10 days, where legally possible, in accordance with the Constitution and law. “All cases shall be decided by the relevant courts and legal forums in accordance with the Constitution, law, transparent judicial procedures and principles of justice, without undue delay.”
- Women serving political imprisonment, including elderly prisoners Yasmin Rashid and Bushra Bibi, shall be released expeditiously, with due consideration for humanitarian concerns.
- Effective, continuous and meaningful consultation between the federal and provincial governments shall be ensured to eliminate ongoing terrorism in KP, protect the lives and property of the people and establish lasting peace. “Authorised representatives of the federal and provincial governments shall convene regular meetings within 72 hours and, through mutual consultation, formulate a clear, comprehensive and feasible strategy for peace and security. The implementation of this strategy, within the scope of the Constitution and law, shall be the joint responsibility of the federal and provincial governments.”
- Upon receiving a written assurance from the federal government for the effective implementation of the aforementioned assurances and agreed actions, PTI shall announce the cancellation of the ongoing long march.
“However, if the federal government violates the agreed assurances, the negotiation process, or constitutional and legal requirements, or causes undue disruption to the negotiation process, PTI shall reserve the right to peaceful, democratic and lawful protest in accordance with the Constitution and law”, he added.
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