RAWALPINDI/LAHORE – PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan on Tuesday expressed cautious optimism over the resumption of political dialogue, hoping that talks with the government could begin within the next one to one-and-a-half months, while stressing that meaningful progress hinges on internal reconciliation and access to the party’s incarcerated founder.
Speaking to the media at Dahgal Naka on Adiala Road, Gohar said that while Pakistan’s role in facilitating international peace efforts, particularly between Iran and the United States, was commendable, similar efforts were urgently needed within the country.
Authority to Negotiate
He said the authority to negotiate rested with Mahmood Khan Achakzai, adding that no formal talks or meetings were currently underway. He urged the country’s leadership, including the prime minister, army chief, and chief justice, to recognise that sustainable progress required inclusivity. “We are citizens of this country too,” he said, warning that stability at home was a prerequisite for any meaningful role abroad.
Support for Diplomatic Efforts
Gohar said PTI had consistently supported Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts, particularly in easing Iran-US tensions, even cancelling a planned public gathering in solidarity with national interests. However, he slammed restrictions on meetings with the party’s founder, Imran Khan, calling it unacceptable that such a major leader was denied access to family and medical care.
Islamabad Talks
Gohar maintained that while no diplomatic breakthrough had yet been achieved in the Islamabad Talks, there had been no collapse either, expressing hope that future rounds could lead to a lasting ceasefire. He stressed that Pakistan’s growing diplomatic stature must be matched by internal cohesion, remarking that “if you broker ceasefires abroad, there must also be a ceasefire at home.”
Solitary Confinement Claims
Meanwhile, in a separate development, PTI founder Imran Khan’s lawyer Salman Safdar has claimed that the incarcerated leader was being held in prolonged solitary confinement, slamming it as “torture.” He raised serious concerns about his health, particularly his eye condition, which he said has shown no improvement.
Addressing a press conference at the LHCBA, Safdar said he met the PTI founder only once this year, for 65 minutes, during which the former premier repeatedly complained about being kept in solitary confinement for 22 hours a day. He alleged that the conditions include lack of access to television, books, communication, and even restricted access to legal counsel.
Analysis: Domestic Peace as a Prerequisite
PTI’s call for a revival of political dialogue with the government comes at a time when Pakistan is playing an increasingly prominent role in international diplomacy. The party’s chairman has drawn a direct link between the two: “if you broker ceasefires abroad, there must also be a ceasefire at home.”
The party’s demands — internal reconciliation and access to Imran Khan — are likely to be non-negotiable for the PTI. The government, for its part, has shown little inclination to engage with a party whose founder remains incarcerated.
Gohar’s timeframe of “one to one-and-a-half months” suggests that the PTI is not expecting an immediate breakthrough. But the very fact that he is talking about the resumption of talks — rather than ruling them out — is a shift in tone.
The allegations of solitary confinement and denial of medical care, if true, would be serious. Salman Safdar’s claim that Imran Khan has been held in solitary confinement for 22 hours a day, with limited access to books, television, and legal counsel, raises human rights concerns.
As Pakistan continues to play a mediating role between the US and Iran, the question of domestic political stability becomes more pressing. Gohar’s warning — that stability at home is a prerequisite for any meaningful role abroad — is a reminder that foreign policy success cannot compensate for internal discord.
