Rana Sanaullah says talks with PTI hinge on postponement of long march

Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah has said the government cannot hold formal negotiations with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) until the party postpones its planned long march to Islamabad, while maintaining that backchannel contacts with the opposition party remain ongoing.

Speaking to ARY News on Wednesday, Sanaullah said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had contacted the PTI leadership three times but had not received a positive response.

He said the prime minister could be approached for talks if the PTI first agreed to defer its long march.

Government warns against disruption in Islamabad

Sanaullah said reports suggested the PTI’s planned protest could turn violent, while acknowledging that peaceful protest within the law was a constitutional right.

However, he said the government would not allow anyone to “attack” the state or Islamabad, adding that the PTI could stage protests elsewhere but would not be permitted to create a confrontation in the capital.

He also said the government was taking precautionary measures to prevent a repeat of the events of November 26, referring to the previous PTI protest in Islamabad.

“Prevention is better than cure,” Sanaullah said, stressing that the government wanted to take precautions before the situation deteriorated.

He said containers had been placed along roads in Islamabad as a security measure but maintained that the roads remained open.

Sanaullah also pointed to the presence of diplomats from around the world in Islamabad, saying the situation in the capital would have implications for Pakistan’s international image.

Sanaullah rejects claim of plan to eliminate PTI

The prime minister’s adviser said the government was not under pressure because of the PTI protest and rejected the suggestion that the authorities intended to eliminate any political party.

He said the government’s stated “one-time solution” approach was aimed at preventing repeated disruption rather than ending the political existence of any party.

His remarks came days after Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi accused the PTI of preparing to march on Islamabad and said the government would seek a permanent solution to recurring protests.

Naqvi had also warned that the government would not allow protesters to occupy the capital for extended periods and disrupt the country’s activities, saying a “one-time” approach would be adopted to deal with the situation.