LAHORE: Incarcerated leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) have proposed the party hold talks with the PML-N led government, as opposed to the “inflexible stance” of its patron-in-chief Imran Khan, who has long been calling for dialogue with the “military establishment” only.

In a letter written from the Kot Lakhpat Jail Lahore on Tuesday, PTI vice-chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Senator Ejaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Omar Sarfraz Cheema and Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed called for starting ‘meaningful dialogue’ with the political leadership of incumbent government so that the country could be steered out of current severe crises.

However, the PTI leaders made it clear that the talks should kick off among the political leadership and subsequently the same held with the powers that be.

While it was not clear how the various leaders conferred on the issue — as Dr Rashid is kept in separate barracks from the other — the letter proposed that they should also be made part of the dialogue process and the PML-N government give them “regular access” to the former prime minister at Adiala jail for consultation over formation of a dialogue committee.

Move hints at dissent among party ranks with Imran Khan’s ‘inflexible stance’

They also cautioned that the elements in the government should not be allowed to belittle their “dialogue offer to political leadership” as it would be tantamount to sabotaging the entire process.

Mr Khan has a stated position on dialogue with the government. “We will talk only with those who have real power (military establishment). The parties in the government do not have power,” he said, reiterating the stance he had taken since his ouster from power three years ago.

There are reports of rifts among the PTI ranks following the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government of Ali Amin Gandapur passing the provincial budget 2025-26 last month without the approval of Mr Khan.

The ex-PM’s sister Aleema Khan had reacted to this saying a “minus Imran” formula was now in effect.

Since groupings have been reported in the PTI, a section in the party wants Mr Khan to soften his stance over holding dialogue only with the military establishment so that a “required political space and relief” could be extracted for the party.

“Khan Sahib needs to soften his stance and give approval to begin a dialogue process with the government. In given circumstances the PTI will have to revisit its politics of resistance (for the time being) and seek political expediency to make it relevant in the current situation which otherwise is quite hostile towards it,” a PTI leader told Dawn.

He also supported the ‘proposal’ of the five incarcerated leaders of the PTI and expressed hope that the party’s patron-in-chief would seriously consider it.

Published in Dawn, July 2nd, 2025