"Not in favour of talks with PTI," Pak Defence Minister says
Sep 01, 2024
Islamabad [Pakistan], September 1 : Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif expressed his reservations against holding talks with Imran Khan's party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Pakistan-based daily, The Express Tribune reported.
Speaking at a party meeting in Lahore on Saturday, Asif said, "I am not in favour of talks with PTI," The Express Tribune quoted.
Asif added that he was not involved in any teams which are in talks with PTI through Mahmood Khan Achakzai, The Express Tribune.
The Express Tribune said that the Pakistan Muslim League (N) is allegedly indirectly negotiating with the PTI through Mahmood Khan Achakzai. Reportedly, the PML-N appointed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's advisor Rana Sanaullah to hold talks with Achakzai.
Achakzai, the leader of Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, is the head of the Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Ain, comprising PTI, the SIC, the MWM, and the BNP-M. Imran Khan's party later proposed to include all opposition parties in this alliance.
Earlier on August 25, Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif asserted that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) decided to postpone its scheduled rally in Islamabad on August 22 due to concerns about a possible lack of public support.
Notably, the PTI's decision to postpone its August 22 gathering in Tarnol at the last minute caused controversy within the party, with some leaders alleging that party founder Imran Khan, currently imprisoned in Adiala jail, was not consulted before the postponement, Dawn News had earlier reported.
The Defence Minister asserted that Imran Khan would not have cancelled the rally if he believed it would be successful. He also dismissed any claims of the establishment's involvement in the PTI's decision of cancelling the rally.
He further said that the PTI wants to build another "false narrative" to desperately save its diminishing popularity.
Asif also claimed that differences within the PTI were evident following the abrupt cancellation of the rally, pointing out "contradictory remarks" of Imran, Bushra Bibi, Aleema Khan and Raoof Hasan.
