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NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq Again Offers to Facilitate Govt–PTI Dialogue
NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq renews his offer to mediate talks between the govt and PTI, urging dialogue as the only way forward amid ongoing political deadlock.
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by Muhammad Hashir
2025-11-28
NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq Again Offers to Facilitate Govt–PTI Dialogue

National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq on Friday once again appeared to extend an olive branch to the opposition, reiterating his willingness to facilitate dialogue as a means to reduce political tensions. His remarks came during a meeting with a group of opposition parliamentarians who visited him shortly after the NA session was adjourned due to lack of quorum.

According to a handout issued by the NA Secretariat, the delegation included Senators Allama Raja Nasir Abbas and Faisal Javed, former NA speaker Asad Qaiser, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, and MNAs Iqbal Afridi, Atif Khan, Sardar Latif Khosa and Jamal Ahsan Khan.

Sadiq emphasised that personal respect and long-standing bonds among parliamentarians should rise above political divides. “Our bond of brotherhood and mutual respect is greater than politics. I have been in contact with you brothers since 2014. Politics does not last a lifetime — it ends eventually,” he said, adding that relationships among elected representatives should endure beyond political events.

He reiterated that he had always supported dialogue as the only sustainable method to resolve disputes. The opposition members, according to the statement, appreciated the speaker’s continued efforts to mediate between the two sides.

During the meeting, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar raised concerns over family members being denied access to party founder Imran Khan, who remains incarcerated. The issue has been a recurring grievance highlighted by the PTI leadership.

Dialogue Efforts Stalled for Months

Efforts to initiate talks between the government and the PTI have been ongoing since last year, following prolonged political tensions. A formal dialogue began in late December, but negotiations quickly stalled over key disputes — including the formation of judicial commissions to investigate the May 9, 2023 protests and the Nov 26, 2024 events, as well as the release of PTI workers and leaders.

In February, the government again extended an invitation for talks, with Speaker Sadiq insisting that dialogue had never been taken off the table. However, the PTI rejected the offer the very next day, accusing the government of intensifying its crackdown on the party. Asad Qaiser questioned how talks could proceed when raids and arrests of PTI workers were allegedly ongoing.

Another offer surfaced in early August during a parliamentary debate on Kashmir. PTI lawmakers welcomed the gesture but doubted whether the government held the authority to commit to any meaningful dialogue.

Most recently, Sadiq reiterated his willingness to mediate on November 13, making the offer at a time when PTI members were protesting during the passage of the 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill.

With both sides continuing to exchange accusations and the dialogue process repeatedly derailed, the renewed offer by the NA speaker underscores the persistent political divide and the difficulty of bridging it — despite multiple attempts.
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