ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday dismissed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s renewed offer for talks as a “mere offer”, saying the government could directly approach opposition leaders in the National Assembly and Senate if it was serious about negotiations.

The development came as the PTI’s long march towards Islamabad reached Kohat amid heightened political tensions. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi is leading the convoy, which began its journey on Sunday with the party demanding the release of its founder, Imran Khan, and raising wider political and constitutional issues.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had earlier renewed his invitation to the PTI for dialogue, urging the party to end its long march and sit-ins before negotiations could resume.

Gohar Questions Government’s Commitment to Talks

Speaking to the media outside Adiala Jail after being denied permission to meet Imran Khan, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan said the government had not taken any practical steps beyond extending the offer for dialogue.

“This proposal of dialogue and talks is only at the level of a mere offer and no positive steps are being taken for this purpose by the government,” Gohar said.

He expressed concern over what he described as the party’s inability to meet Imran Khan for almost a year, saying the last meeting took place on October 16, 2025.

Gohar questioned why Imran’s doctors, family members, lawyers and party workers were allegedly being denied access to him.

“This is inhumane treatment, and we have strongly condemned it,” he said.

The PTI chairman also criticised the imprisonment of Imran Khan’s sisters, saying they were not involved in politics and had only stood by their brother.

Gohar further condemned the arrest of Imran’s cousin, Qasim Zaman, and alleged that PTI lawmakers and ministers had also been detained.

“Our MPAs, MNAs and ministers have been picked up, and this practice of picking people and detaining them should now stop forever,” he said.

Salman Akram Raja Names Opposition Leaders for Talks

PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said the government could contact Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Allama Raja Nasir Abbas and National Assembly opposition leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai if it wanted to pursue negotiations.

Speaking outside the Islamabad High Court, Raja said the long march would continue until the outstanding issues were resolved, rejecting reports that the protest had been cancelled.

He said Imran Khan had given complete authority to Achakzai and Raja Nasir Abbas to negotiate on his behalf and reach an agreement with the government.

“If the government wants to show some flexibility and negotiate, it can contact them,” Raja said.

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Achakzai Calls for Positive Response to Government Contact

Meanwhile, Mahmood Khan Achakzai has instructed the opposition to respond positively if the government formally approaches it for talks.

According to sources, Achakzai conveyed the message to opposition leaders through TTAP spokesperson Akhundzada Hussain Yousafzai. He maintained that any government initiative should be met positively.

However, sources said Achakzai believes that access to Imran Khan should be a key condition before meaningful negotiations begin. He also suggested that the release of Imran’s sisters could demonstrate progress by the government.

According to the sources, Achakzai said that without a meeting with the PTI founder, meeting the prime minister would serve little purpose. He indicated that the opposition could consider declining a meeting with the premier if access to Imran Khan was not granted.

The government and PTI have already held negotiations that ended without a breakthrough, with differences reportedly remaining over access to Imran Khan and other political issues.