Islamabad, April 15, 2025: National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq on Tuesday clarified that the visiting United States congressional delegation did not raise the issue of incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan during their recent meeting.
In an official statement, Sadiq said the delegation made it clear that they do not interfere in Pakistan’s internal political matters.
His remarks follow allegations from PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, who claimed he was excluded from meetings between the US delegation and government officials during their visit for the Pakistan Minerals Forum 2025.
Dismissing the claim, Sadiq said both Gohar and PTI Chief Whip Amir Dogar were invited to a dinner hosted for the US lawmakers. “It was an opportunity for PTI leaders to engage with the very people they often appeal to,” he remarked.
He added that representatives of the coalition government, including the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), used the occasion to raise issues such as canal water distribution. “Thirty participants raised the canal issue, but the opposition failed to present their case,” Sadiq said. He further noted that the matter had already been addressed by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and previously debated in the assembly.
Commenting on parliamentary proceedings, the speaker stressed that legislative business cannot move forward without quorum. He said production orders had been issued for jailed members, prisons had been declared sub-jails for this purpose, and all related records were publicly accessible online.
“I believe in dialogue with the opposition,” Sadiq stated, “but no one can be compelled to join the table.” He said he had reached out to BNP-Mengal Chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal and JUI-F leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman, and expressed willingness to bring government members to the table if the opposition agrees to talks.
Sadiq also shared that it had been agreed quorum would not be pointed out during the question hour to ensure continuity in proceedings. “But if a no-confidence motion is brought forward, it may be their own ranks that split,” he cautioned.
Meanwhile, PTI Chairman Gohar maintained that he had received no formal or informal invitation to any official engagement with the US delegation. “Neither an invitation card was issued nor was there any communication via WhatsApp,” he said while speaking to reporters on Monday.
Echoing his concerns, PTI Senator and Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Syed Shibli Faraz criticized the speaker for not inviting key opposition leaders, while selectively including other PTI members.
PTI’s Atif Khan, who attended the meeting alongside Dr. Amjad, confirmed that Imran Khan or his detention was not discussed. He said he had heard that Gohar and Omar Ayub were also invited but could not verify whether they had received the invitations.
