Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has stated that following the recent tweets by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, negotiations between the government and PTI have been suspended, and the talks are now fruitless.

Speaking to the media, Khawaja Asif emphasized that while PTI may not be considered trustworthy, negotiations should still continue. He added that contrary to PTI’s claims about a potential offer being made, no such proposal has been presented so far.

The defense minister also claimed that PTI leaders were requesting an NRO (National Reconciliation Ordinance) from the new U.S. administration.

In response to a question, Khawaja Asif said that the decision regarding the 190 million-pound case should be issued soon, expressing hope for an early resolution.

It is notable that just the previous day, on the social media platform X, a statement attributed to Imran Khan harshly criticized the government and institutions. In the post, Imran Khan referred to his remarks made during a conversation with the media and lawyers at Adiala Jail, accusing the government of delaying the verdict in the Al-Qadir Trust case (190 million-pound case) to exert pressure on him, similar to the previous cases of the “Avenfield” and “Cipher” cases. He demanded the immediate release of the verdict, warning that, just like in the past, the outcome would be unfavorable for the government.

Imran Khan further criticized the historical military regimes in Pakistan, stating that he had witnessed all the martial laws imposed in the country, including those by Ayub Khan, Yahya Khan, Zia-ul-Haq, and Pervez Musharraf. He particularly condemned the regimes of Yahya Khan and Zia-ul-Haq, calling them the worst in Pakistan’s history, as they completely trampled democracy. He stated that the current situation in the country, under the guise of democracy, could only be compared to the era of Yahya Khan.

In his comments, the PTI founder also referred to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as nothing more than a puppet, adding that a more powerful Prime Minister during the Musharraf era was Shaukat Aziz, as at least there was less electoral manipulation back then than what occurred in February 2024. He described the current “illegitimate” government as a stain on the country, sustained by rigged elections through Form 47.

Meanwhile, political speculation has increased in recent days regarding the third round of talks between the government and PTI. The government had set a condition for PTI to submit written demands, while the PTI negotiating team is waiting for a meeting with the party’s founder.

Senior PTI leader Senator Ali Zafar clarified that despite assurances, a meeting with the PTI founder had not been arranged, causing the negotiation process to come to a halt.

Prime Minister’s political adviser, Rana Sanaullah, stated that the date for the next meeting would be announced after the PTI leadership meets with the founder. Speaking on a live TV program, he mentioned that PTI’s negotiating committee had made it clear that written demands would be presented at the next meeting.