Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has accused the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, of seeking negotiations only with the establishment rather than engaging in political dialogue.
Speaking on ARY News programme Khabar, Khawaja Asif said that if PTI genuinely wanted talks, he was ready to engage despite being a critic of the party. He alleged that PTI was following a dual policy on negotiations.
The defence minister said dialogue could move forward if PTI openly stood with the state on national issues, including counter-terrorism. He added that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s offer for talks appeared to have received a lukewarm response from PTI, terming it a non-starter.
“The PTI founder only wants to talk to the establishment,” Khawaja Asif said, claiming that the party’s approach to negotiations lacked consistency.
Responding to a question, he said the government would react when PTI formally announced a wheel-jam strike.
Khawaja Asif also said that recent messages from the military leadership, including those conveyed during the Corps Commanders’ Conference, were broad in nature and not aimed at any particular political party.
