Islamabad: Responding to Bilawal Bhutto’s invitation for negotiations, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar stated that hollow talks and claims achieve nothing; after all, it was in pursuit of negotiations that our government was lost. Speaking to the media outside the Islamabad High Court, Barrister Gohar remarked that we had engaged with the negotiation committee—so who, then, told them to abandon the talks?

He questioned whether a deadlock signifies the end of dialogue, or if it is standard practice for parties to simply walk away from the negotiating table. “Who were the people who made you leave the negotiating table, and why?” he asked. Barrister Gohar asserted that they have opposed the imposition of a state of emergency or ‘Governor’s Rule’ at every forum, labeling Governor’s Rule as an illegitimate and extra-legal measure; he added that the prevailing circumstances did not warrant such actions.

He pointed out that the entire bureaucracy has been replaced, and now there is a concerted effort to dismantle an entire political party. He described these actions as contrary to democratic principles and demanded that they be brought to an end. The PTI Chairman further stated that the party has had no contact with Sohail Afridi since October 11, and that they are also unable to establish communication with their MPAs or the Speaker of the Provincial Assembly.