Govt, PTI explore dialogue as NA speaker skips proceedings against Waqas

ISLAMABAD: In a notable political development, representatives of the federal government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) met at the National Assembly Speaker’s Office on Wednesday, signaling a potential thaw in relations as both sides explored the possibility of initiating formal dialogue.

As a goodwill gesture, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq refrained from moving a disciplinary resolution against PTI MNA Waqas Akram Shaikh, who has been absent from parliamentary proceedings for over 40 days. The gesture, sources say, was aimed at de-escalating tensions and creating space for political engagement.

The meeting was attended by Speaker Sadiq, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, who engaged with PTI’s delegation to discuss options for dialogue. According to insiders, the government side stressed the importance of political reconciliation, while the PTI representatives expressed willingness to discuss the proposal with their party leadership.

Separately, senior Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Syed Naveed Qamar reached out to PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and former Speaker Asad Qaiser on the opposition benches, encouraging them to consider political solutions, with the PPP offering support to facilitate talks.

While both sides at the Speaker’s Office showed openness to initiating dialogue, sources indicated that any formal engagement would ultimately require approval from jailed PTI founder Imran Khan, who remains resistant to negotiations with government parties.

Interestingly, PTI’s parliamentary party meeting held the same day reportedly showed strong support for entering dialogue. A source stated, “The majority is in favour, but the final decision rests with Imran Khan.”

Both the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and PPP have quietly assured PTI leadership of their willingness to help normalize the political environment—emphasizing that progress can only come through structured political dialogue.

In the past, PTI has missed several opportunities for engagement due to Imran Khan’s insistence on direct talks with the establishment, which has shown no interest in participating.