Developments in PTI Leadership and US Delegation Meeting

  • Gohar restates that national interests must be the priority in any agreement.
  • The PTI chairman states that he has not received any communication from the American embassy.
  • Syed Shibli Faraz, a PTI leader, is critical of NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan stated that he did not get any advance notification regarding the government officials’ recent meeting with a United States delegation.

Gohar told reporters on Monday that no invitation card was sent to him, and there was no communication via WhatsApp about the discussions.

Gohar reiterated PTI’s position, emphasising that any agreements should give top priority to the country’s interests and stressing the importance of support from the heads of friendly nations during their visits to Pakistan.

He stated, “As far as I know, I haven’t had any calls or messages, and I haven’t seen any cards or invitations from the American embassy. We would have undoubtedly attended if there had been any contact.”

In a related development, Syed Shibli Faraz, a senior PTI leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, criticised Speaker of the National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq for inviting other party members to his meeting with US Congressmen while omitting leaders of the opposition in the National Assembly and the Senate, as well as Barrister Gohar.

He claimed that the speaker’s decision not to invite opposition leaders in the National Assembly and the Senate demonstrates his malice. He added that Speaker Ayaz Sadiq has damaged the House’s reputation, not the PTI.

Meanwhile, PTI leader Atif Khan, an invitee to the meeting, stated that there was no discussion in his presence regarding the US Congressmen’s meeting with the party’s founder or his release.

Atif Khan stated that he and Dr. Amjad attended the meeting from the PTI, and he learned that Barrister Gohar and Omar Ayub were invited.

He noted, “I’m unsure if the two leaders were invited or not; representatives from political parties and federal ministers attended the meeting.”

He stated that it was a formal occasion where the Congressman spoke and that Pakistan-US bilateral ties were addressed. He added that there was no discussion about the meeting with the PTI’s founder or his release while he was present.

PTI information secretary Waqas Akram stated that his party would not engage in dialogue with the “puppets” (rulers) who lack both the mandate and the authority to appoint even a station house officer (SHO).

Waqas stated unequivocally that the PTI founder consistently put the country’s interests first and would only engage in discussions to support constitutional supremacy, genuine democracy, the rule of law, and real independence.

He advised Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar to be concerned about his own “precarious” future and that of his leadership rather than Imran Khan and the PTI.