News
October 02, 2026
Opposition and government representatives holding talks at Parliament House in Islamabad on Oct 3 — Screengrabs from video via X/NAofPakistan
After Hours of Negotiations, Second Round of Govt-Opposition Talks Ends in a 'Deadlock'
By Ikram Junaidi
Islamabad: Hours-long negotiations between the government and the opposition during a second round of talks ended in a “deadlock” early on Sunday.
The meeting at Parliament House began after 4pm on Saturday, with discussions focusing on the PTI’s planned Oct 4 march to Islamabad. Details on the negotiating process were sparse as both sides seemingly agreed not to speak to the media before matters concluded.
However, shortly before 3am on Sunday, Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, who was part of the opposition delegation, told the media that the talks had not succeeded in a breakthrough.
“Deadlock,” he told reporters waiting at Parliament House in footage aired on Geo News. Asked what the points of contention were, he said they were “small things”. He added that the “issue” of meetings with PTI founder Imran Khan could not be solved.
He went on to say that the deadlock was over Imran’s meeting with his personal physicians, and how to address terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said that talks had now ended, adding that a detailed press conference would be held later.
Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry, who was part of the government’s delegation in the talks, said the talks failed primarily because the “KP government could not assure whether they would cooperate in the fight against terrorism in the future”.
He alleged that the PTI’s provincial government in KP did not want to implement the National Action Plan and that the PTI delegation that participated in the talks had also left the venue “disappointed because the KP government did not cooperate on terrorism”.
An agreement had been reached on all other matters, he said in response to a question.
Asked about the possible future course of action, he said the “Constitution has several options”, seemingly a referring to the possibility of imposing governor’s rule or emergency in KP.
Separately, PPP’s Sherry Rehman, who also participated in the talks, said the government delegation debated all points with the opposition.
“Unfortunately, the draft [agreement] was changed four times after it was agreed upon,” she told Geo News, adding that she would not go into the details.
Speaking to reporters, PTI interim chairman Barrister Gohar Khan said that the party’s long march was “intact” and would go ahead. At the same time, he asserted that imposing an emergency or governor rule was not the answer to the protest.
He further said that the participants had also not reached an agreement on when the next round of talks would take place.
He said that the opposition’s demands presented during the second round of talks were “simple” and included meetings with Imran and his spouse, Bushra Bibi.
He said that there were a few issues pertaining to terrorism, where the negotiating process became “stuck”.
Hours-long talks
Visuals broadcast by DawnNewsTV after 9:30pm showed Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi — part of the government delegation — departing Parliament House with a document in his hand, with media reports suggesting he was likely to consult the president.
More than an hour later, footage showed Naqvi returning to Parliament House, with the interior minister maintaining his silence as reporters swarmed him for queries.
The meeting, chaired by National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, was aimed at defusing the country’s ongoing political crisis. The PTI’s planned Oct 4 protest march , aimed at demanding Imran’s release, has emerged as the latest point of contention between the party and the federal government.
Even as extended talks kept hopes for an agreement alive, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi remained adamant on proceeding with PTI’s march to Islamabad.
After voicing his determination on Saturday afternoon — which irked government representatives — the KP CM again took to X at 12:46am to detail the itinerary for the protest march.
Laying out the journey plan, Afridi said PTI supporters from the districts of Tank, Dera Ismail Khan, South Waziristan, North Waziristan, Bannu, and Lakki Marwat will join the long march from Lakki Marwat’s Gandi Chowk Lakki Marwat at 1pm on Oct 4.
The caravan will halt for the night near Karak, from where people will depart at 12:30pm the next day and stay overnight near Kohat.
Then, at 12pm on Oct 6, protesters from Kohat, Hangu, Kurram, and Orakzai will join the convoy, which will move towards Peshawar and spend the night near Mattani.
The KP CM’s post went on to say that the caravan will depart from Budh Bair in Peshawar on Oct 7 afternoon. “The remaining constituencies of Peshawar will join us at Kohat Road Bridge and the Motorway Toll Plaza. And we will spend the night near Charsadda Interchange.”
They would then depart the Charsadda Interchange at 12:30pm on Oct 8 after people from Charsadda and Mohmand join them.
Refraining from detailing the final leg of the trip to the federal capital, Afridi said the people “of entire KP” would gather at Khairabad on Oct 8 and spend the night there. “God willing, the plan for the next phase will be announced there.” - Dawn
Courtesy Dawn
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