Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Irfan Siddiqui has slammed recent remarks by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan on the meeting of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Syed Asim Munir, questioning the credibility of what he termed “clandestine negotiations”.
Senator Siddiqui shared what he knew about the discussions and their details, arguing that negotiations cannot succeed through “many doors”, Express News reported.
He suggested that the PTI should formally recognize the talks and reassess its approach.
The PML-N lawmaker said the PTI should focus on a single channel of negotiation rather than seeking multiple entry points into the political process.
His comments came after Barrister Gohar confirmed that he and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur met Army Chief General Asim Munir. Former Prime Minister Imran Khan reportedly welcomed the meeting, calling it a positive step.
Lawyer Gohar, speaking outside Adiala jail, said the talks were aimed at ensuring political stability in Pakistan. He insisted that any meetings he attended were under Khan’s instructions.
He further said that the PTI had always been open to dialogue but the other side had kept its doors closed. Now that negotiations have started and are progressing, he sees it as a beneficial step for the stability of the country. He also reiterated the PTI’s two key demands: the formation of a judicial commission and an investigation into two specific incidents.
The PTI chairman confirmed that he and Ali Amin Gandapur met the army chief, saying the meeting took place in Peshawar, where they presented their entire case before him.
Lawyer Gohar Ali Khan described direct negotiations with the establishment as a positive step, adding that there had been a constructive response from the other side.
He concluded that the initiation of talks was a welcome move and all demands of the PTI had been formally presented.
The meeting took place a day before Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, were convicted and sentenced to 14 and seven years in prison respectively, as an accountability court at Adiala Prison in Rawalpindi announced its reserved verdict in the £190 million case, after delaying judgment. reigning three times.
