Government, opposition agree to keep dialogue alive amid long march tensions

The meeting, chaired by National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, brought together representatives of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the opposition alliance. The discussions took place amid mounting pressure to resolve differences over the opposition’s planned long march to the federal capital on October 4.

The breakthrough followed an opening round of negotiations on Friday, when the two sides exchanged their positions on the prevailing political situation. Saturday’s meeting initially witnessed disagreements over public statements by political leaders and the opposition’s plans for the march, but the discussions subsequently made progress, with the negotiations.

A written agreement was also reported to be under preparation. Key concerns. Federal Minister Amir Muqam reportedly raised a social media post by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi announcing the long march.

He said the government had asked the opposition to cancel the protest to create conditions for negotiations, but the announcement had raised questions about its commitment to moving forward. The government delegation also expressed concern over what it described as inappropriate language used against senior government leaders, questioning the extent of authority held by the opposition’s negotiating team.

In response, the opposition raised concerns about social media statements by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, arguing that confidence between the two sides needed to be restored if the dialogue was to produce results. The government representatives maintained that they had entered the negotiations with an open mind and full authority to discuss the issues.

The PPP, meanwhile, called for the long march to be withdrawn unconditionally to allow the political process to proceed. Who attended? The government delegation included federal ministers Amir Muqam, Mohsin Naqvi, Talal Chaudhry and Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, along with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s adviser Rana Sanaullah.

The PPP was represented by Senator Sherry Rehman, Naveed Qamar and Ejaz Hussain Jakhrani. The opposition delegation included Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, Aamir Dogar, Asad Qaiser, Haleem Adil Sheikh and Salman Akram Raja.

At the start of the meeting, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq expressed hope that the negotiations would continue in a cordial atmosphere, similar to the first round. He also thanked representatives of the government, PPP and opposition for taking part in the dialogue.

Barrister Gohar reiterated that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supported political negotiations and did not want extreme measures, including the imposition of emergency rule or governor’s rule. He maintained that the party intended to continue pursuing its political demands through dialogue.

Senator Sherry Rehman also expressed optimism about the negotiations, describing parliament as a forum where political differences could be addressed through democratic means. PTI’s long march.

Before the talks, opposition representatives said their demands included the release of PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan and other prisoners, access to Khan, and the restoration of the Constitution and the rule of law. The opposition maintained that these issues would remain central to its negotiations.

The planned long march, announced by Sohail Afridi for October 4, remained a major point of contention. The procession is scheduled to begin at Gandi Chowk in Lakki Marwat before moving towards Islamabad, with Karak and Kohat among the planned stops.

The government has urged the opposition to cancel the march, arguing that doing so would help create space for further dialogue. The PPP has also pressed for its unconditional withdrawal. Sources indicated that the two sides were considering continuing discussions through special committees, particularly in relation to postponing the march and maintaining communication between the parties.

Further decisions were expected after consultations with their respective leaderships.