Khawaja Asif: PTI wants to speak only with the establishment.

Imran Khan, the founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has been accused by Defense Minister Khawaja Asif of pursuing only dialogue with the establishment.

Defense Minister Khawaja Asif stated during the ARY News program Khabar that, despite his criticism of the PTI, he was willing to participate in talks if the party truly desired them.

The defense minister accused the PTI of having two different bargaining strategies. He claimed that if PTI publicly supported the government on matters of national importance and counterterrorism, then talks might proceed.

Additionally, he implied that the PTI seems to have responded ambivalently to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s invitation to have discussions, labeling it a non-starter. He reiterated his assertion that PTI’s strategy was inconsistent, saying, “The PTI founder only wants to talk to the establishment.”

In response to a query, Khawaja Asif stated that when the PTI declared a wheel-jam strike, the government would react.

Recent statements from the military leadership, including the Corps Commanders’ Conference, were broad in scope and not targeted at any particular political party, according to the defense minister.