Islamabad, December 24, 2025: A multi-party opposition alliance has signalled its willingness to engage in dialogue with the government but stressed that negotiations in politics should never be closed and must be pursued with seriousness and sincerity from the ruling side.
Tehreek-e-Tahafuz Ayeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP) Vice Chairman Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar said the alliance—which includes the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)—was prepared to initiate talks with the government. Speaking on a private news channel talk show, Khokhar said the alliance had taken Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent statement offering dialogue “with seriousness.”
“We believe the doors for negotiations should never be closed,” Khokhar said, adding that all allied parties, including PTI, had been consulted. He noted that TTAP chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai had already stated that if the government demonstrated seriousness, he would personally secure the PTI founder’s signatures on a proposed framework.
The remarks came after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reiterated his offer for talks with the opposition, while maintaining that dialogue could only proceed on “legitimate matters” and would not be allowed to turn into blackmail. Addressing his cabinet, the prime minister said PTI founder Imran Khan and his associates were also discussing talks and recalled that he had previously invited PTI leaders for dialogue both privately and on the floor of the National Assembly.
Khokhar clarified that the opposition alliance would not demand the release of the PTI founder or withdrawal of cases as part of the talks. He said the alliance was ready to engage the government on constitutional issues and a new national charter, adding that if progress was made, a formal committee for negotiations could be constituted.
However, shortly before Khokhar’s statement, PTI rejected the prime minister’s offer, calling it a sign of “political panic and intellectual collapse.” PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram said the government was playing a “double game” and using the offer of talks to mislead the public rather than genuinely resolve the political crisis.
State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhry told Geo News that PTI’s stance on talks kept changing, adding that clarity was still lacking within the party. He said the prime minister had made it clear that dialogue was possible, but blackmail would not be tolerated.
Earlier in the day, a meeting of the TTAP was held under the chairmanship of Mahmood Khan Achakzai and was attended by Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, BNP-M leader Sajid Tareen, PTI leader Asad Qaiser, and Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar. Opposition alliance spokesperson Akhunzada Hussain Yousafzai said a new national charter was essential to pull the country out of political and economic crisis, deteriorating law and order, and governance failures.
Yousafzai said the alliance was ready to hold talks on transparent elections, appointment of a consensus Election Commissioner, strengthening parliament, ensuring rule of law, and safeguarding human rights. He added that Achakzai had already presented the alliance’s position on the floor of the House in response to the Speaker’s invitation for dialogue.
Meanwhile, PTI founder Imran Khan dismissed Achakzai’s appeal for talks and instead called for a street movement, urging the public to rise for their rights, according to a post on his social media account.
