• Says authorities must first respond to PTI’s offer
• No decision yet to boycott AJK polls
• Insists party has no intention to replace CM Afridi

PESHAWAR: PTI interim chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said on Wednesday that his party was not holding talks with the government at the moment and matters had not proceeded beyond an offer for negotiations.

Talking to media persons on the premises of the Peshawar High Court, Mr Khan said it was now the responsibility of those who held authority to respond to the PTI’s offer.

He said Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Mehmood Khan Achakzai had shown magnanimity by shaking hands with the prime minister and offering talks with the government. “If anyone takes this offer as our weakness, they are mistaken,” he said.

The PTI chairman said the party would decide on the upcoming elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) in the next two days, adding that no decision had been made to boycott the polls. He said the notification circulating on social media regarding the PTI’s boycott of the elections was fake.

Regarding differences in the party in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he said the party had no intention of replacing Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, adding that the chief minister was “not going anywhere”.

At the moment, he said, no one in the assembly could replace Mr Afridi. He added that the party leadership had called disgruntled MPAs for a meeting in the coming days.

Barrister Gohar said the PTI was keeping a close watch on AJK. “Give reconciliation a chance,” he said, adding that if the people of Kashmir were protesting over their grievances, the protest should remain peaceful.

He asked the government to avoid bloodshed and allow people to hold peaceful protests.

He said the PTI’s election symbol had been taken away without any justification. “Losing our election symbol in Haripur, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir created many problems for us,” he said.

He stressed the need for negotiations to resolve all outstanding issues amicably. “Political issues should have political solutions,” he said, adding that finding solutions to problems was the duty of every government and public office holder.

Barrister Gohar expressed serious reservations over the lack of facilities for incarcerated PTI patron-in-chief Imran Khan and the denial of meetings with family members and party leaders. He said the process of meetings with Imran Khan should be restored immediately.

He demanded that the PTI founder be provided medical facilities at a hospital of his family’s choice.

Commenting on the KP annual budget, Barrister Gohar said the provincial government had presented an excellent budget.

He said the PTI did not want to present a deficit budget, but had no option because the federal government was not giving the province its due NFC share.

He rejected the federal government’s move to impose taxes in the erstwhile Fata and Pata areas. The government should review its decision because these areas had been affected by natural disasters and floods, he said, adding that the people of these areas needed relief.

Denying internal differences and grouping in the party, the PTI chairman said the party was intact. He said some assembly members had reservations on certain matters, but now everyone agreed with the PTI founder’s decision.

He said former KP chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur was an asset for the party and had run a good government in the province.

Published in Dawn, July 2nd, 2026