Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has responded critically to the federal government’s recent offer for negotiations, highlighting what it perceives as a contradiction between the government’s public statements and its actions.
In a statement reacting to Federal Minister for Petroleum Musadik Malik’s invitation for dialogue, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar expressed skepticism about the sincerity of the government's proposal.
"The government's approach to inviting negotiations is problematic and appears to lack a genuine commitment to dialogue," Barrister Gohar remarked.
He criticised the government for simultaneously making arrests while extending an olive branch. "On one hand, we are offered talks, but on the other, our members are being detained, and our rights to peaceful protest are being suppressed," he said.
Gohar stressed that such contradictory actions undermine the credibility of the government's negotiation offer.
The response comes after Malik’s call for PTI to join forces with the government to address national issues and work towards the country’s prosperity. Malik had warned that continued political instability would lead to dire consequences and urged PTI to move past chaos and division.
Barrister Gohar also condemned the alleged violations of civil liberties, including arrests and what he described as violations of personal sanctity.
He questioned how a meaningful negotiation could be achieved under such conditions.