National Assembly Opposition Leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai reportedly played a key role in the breakdown of negotiations between the federal government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), as according to an account published by ARY News.
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The negotiations ended without an agreement after the two sides failed to resolve differences over PTI’s planned October 4 long march towards Islamabad, access to party founder Imran Khan and counterterrorism measures.
According to sources cited by ARY News, the government’s negotiating committee had authority to make decisions and showed flexibility during the discussions.
However, the sources claimed that demands raised by Achakzai and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi contributed to the deadlock.
The report also pointed to differences between opposition leaders and the KP government, saying these disagreements complicated efforts to reach a common position.
The claims reflect the account provided by unnamed sources and have not been independently established.
A major point of disagreement concerned whether opposition leaders should be allowed to meet Imran Khan before making a final decision about the planned march.
According to the reports, Achakzai repeatedly linked progress in the negotiations to a meeting with the PTI founder and his release.
The government had reportedly agreed at one stage to facilitate a meeting between Imran Khan and PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan. However, the opposition remained unwilling to make a final commitment on the march without consulting the party founder.
The planned long march was another major obstacle to an agreement. Government representatives wanted the opposition to call off the protest, while opposition leaders sought assurances and access to Imran Khan before making a final decision.
Counterterrorism measures and federal assistance to districts affected by terrorism also featured in the reported disagreements.
Sources cited in media reports claimed that the KP government was reluctant to accept federal assistance and continued discussing the long march before a final agreement had been reached.
The negotiations ultimately ended without a breakthrough, with both sides maintaining their positions on key demands. The failure to agree on the protest and the sequence of proposed concessions left the political dispute unresolved.
