A Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) delegation led by Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan met National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq on Friday, requesting his assistance in arranging a meeting with the party founder.
The delegation included senior leaders Asad Qaiser, Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, Latif Khosa, Amjad Ali Khan, Shahram Tarakai and others.
During the meeting held in the speaker’s chamber, PTI leaders reiterated that family members and party officials have not been allowed to meet the PTI founder and sought Ayaz Sadiq’s support.
Barrister Gohar told the speaker, “You are a senior politician. You have been helping us before; now also play your role for this meeting.” PTI leaders repeatedly appealed for his intervention to ensure the meeting takes place.
They conveyed that their inability to meet the PTI founder has created frustration within the party and urged the speaker to act as a facilitator.
Speaker invites PTI back to standing committees
Ayaz Sadiq responded by urging the PTI to return to parliamentary processes, especially the standing committees. “The PTI should play its role in parliament,” he said, stressing that the committees are where key legislative work happens.
He emphasized that resolving issues requires the PTI to engage constructively: “I talked about negotiations at every opportunity. Negotiations will solve all the problems.”
Ayaz Sadiq reiterates call for dialogue
The speaker expressed frustration over the PTI’s reluctance to engage with the government: “I am tired of telling you to come to the negotiating table,” he remarked. He added that he has always been willing to act as a bridge between the government and the opposition, but PTI must also be ready to sit for talks.
“I have played my role before, but you are not willing to sit with the government,” he said, advising the PTI to correct its attitude to improve matters.
The PTI delegation appreciated Ayaz Sadiq’s previous efforts in easing communication between the government and opposition. However, they maintained that support is urgently needed once again -- particularly regarding access to the PTI founder.
The meeting ended with both sides agreeing that political engagement and parliamentary participation remain essential for resolving the ongoing political challenges.
Asad Qaiser media talk
PTI leader Asad Qaiser says the party has conveyed its core demands to the speaker, emphasizing that the PTI founder’s family and party leaders must be allowed to meet him. He added that the party has also demanded the issuance of a notification for the appointment of the opposition leader in the assembly.
Speaking to journalists in Islamabad, Asad Qaiser said the speaker had assured them that he would respond by tomorrow. He warned that if the PTI’s demands were not met, the party would not allow parliament to function.
He stressed that there should be no restrictions on meetings with the PTI founder and that all visits must be allowed in accordance with the prison manual.
Asad Qaiser also shared that the opposition delegation will meet the chairman of the Senate on Monday.
