A wind of change appears to be blowing across the political landscape, with recent developments suggesting that protracted tensions between the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and key stakeholders may give way to cautious engagement, according to sources familiar with the matter. With some recent confidence-building measures, the PML-N-led coalition government may establish contact with incarcerated PTI leader Imran Khan through Mehmood Khan Achakzai, the Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly, a key aide of the Prime Minister revealed to The Express PK Press Club on Wednesday. The move follows a major development on Tuesday, where KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi was appointed to head a new committee to oversee development work and counter-terrorism operations in the province, a move widely seen as a sign of improving coordination after years of sharp differences over security policy. The decision was taken at a high-level meeting at the corps headquarters in Peshawar, which was attended by KP Chief Minister, Home Minister Mohsin Naqvi, National Security Advisor, who happens to be DG ISI, Corps Commander Peshawar, provincial cabinet members and senior officials. The development comes after months of wrangling between the province and the Center over counter-terrorism measures, including Operation Tirah in Khyber district, which exposed differences over security strategy. Last week, the KP Chief Minister and the Prime Minister met to iron out their differences, emphasizing the need for close cooperation between the federal and provincial governments for the development and welfare of the people of KP. Security sources described Tuesday’s meeting in Peshawar as "positive sign" and said this would bode well for developing consensus on key national security issues. Sources close to the internal discussions say that following the ice-breaking meeting in Peshawar, a softer approach is being considered towards KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, reflecting broader efforts to reduce political tensions ahead of key meetings. Similarly, the Supreme Court’s decision allowing Salman Safdar to have a prolonged meeting with Imran Khan on Tuesday in Adiala jail is seen as a subtle signal, showing a softening of approach towards the PTI. Ikhtiar Wali Khan, Prime Minister’s Coordinator for KP Affairs, confirmed that the situation in KP will improve as all stakeholders are now aligned. He outlined the immediate political calendar, saying two major meetings are expected: one with Imran Khan and one with the Prime Minister, both involving Mehmood Khan Achakzai. A meeting between Achakzai and the prime minister is expected by Thursday. "If this does not happen, it will happen next week before Ramazan. Ikhtiar Wali Khan added a political twist by saying that after this meeting, the countdown of Achakzai on Imran Khan’s side would begin."
Explaining further, he said that Imran Khan preferred "bad boys" and does not work well with compliant numbers. So if “bad boys” start to turn into “good boys,” how would that suit him?" he asked. At this point, for Imran Khan, the example of Sohail Afridi became similar to what Ali Amin Gandapur once was. After meeting the prime minister, Achakzai may become Umar Ayub, suggesting that Imran Khan may no longer want him to act as a major opposition leader. Speaking about lowering the political temperature in the country, Wali said the dialogue will take place soon and will be done directly with the government, without the involvement of corridors of power or intermediaries. At the same time, the PTI has also demonstrated a soft approach towards the authorities. According to Junaid Akbar, president of PTI’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chapter, the party has always sought to maintain harmonious relations with state institutions.
"We want the provincial government and institutions to stay on the same page, tolerate each other and recognize each other’s constitutional positions." he told The Express PK Press Club, stressing that it was essential to restore confidence and peace in the province. Akbar stressed that any strategy designed jointly by institutions and the government would be more effective. "Otherwise, whichever government comes to power, if the establishment does not support it, it will not succeed and vice versa." he added. He also pointed out that the first cabinet meeting after the formation of the KP government was held at the Corps Commander’s House, a symbolic gesture reflecting the desire to build trust and coordination from day one. Akbar said the process of political engagement is slow. "So far we have not seen any real progress. Political figures still do not have access to Imran Khan," he said. He added that Salman Safdar’s meeting took place only on the orders of the Supreme Court and information about Imran Khan’s health was not shared with political players as per rules. "If access to him is granted, the situation will improve. The harsher the attitude adopted, the more hatred will grow and no one will gain." he said. He noted that Opposition Leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai was supposed to meet the Prime Minister on Friday, but the meeting was postponed due to foreign guests. "If he comes tomorrow or soon for an appointment, he will be welcome. We want political forces to come closer to each other," he said. He and Junaid Akbar stressed the importance of direct communication and cooperation between provincial, federal and institutional actors, a change in tone that analysts see as a possible signal of de-escalation after months of friction.
