According to a report by Dawn, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah stated that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) cannot force the government to accept its demands by creating political instability or holding the state hostage. Speaking to reporters in Islamabad, Sanaullah emphasized that while the federal administration remains open to dialogue, it will not allow the opposition to use negotiations as a political pressure tool.
The PML-N leader referenced Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's recent call for PTI leadership to abandon their protest plans and engage in political discussions. However, recent talks aimed at resolving political tension ended in a deadlock.
What happened
Negotiations held at Parliament House concerning a planned march to Islamabad broke down after extended discussions. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi accused Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi of sabotaging the agreement by changing a previously agreed draft. In response, PTI representatives stated that reconciliation is impossible without involving jailed party founder Imran Khan in the dialogue process and establishing a joint counterterrorism approach.
Key facts
- Sanaullah described PTI's claims regarding counterterrorism policy as misleading, clarifying that intelligence-based operations are actively conducted under existing policies without displacing local populations.
- Addressing relations with Afghanistan, Sanaullah stated that the Afghan interim government acknowledged evidence of cross-border terrorism but refused to guarantee that its territory would not be used for attacks against Pakistan.
- Sanaullah maintained that Pakistan retains the right to target security threats on Afghan soil based on decades of security experience.
- The adviser criticized the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial government, accusing it of prioritizing political rallies over regional security and governance during a period of heightened terror incidents.
Why it matters
According to Dawn, the collapse of talks underscores deep political divisions and security disagreements between federal authorities and opposition leadership. The ongoing stalemate leaves opposition protest plans active while critical debates over counterterrorism operations and provincial governance remain unaddressed.
Source: Dawn - Home · Published October 07, 2026 · Photo by Adam Winger on Unsplash