ISLAMABAD — The inside story behind the collapse of negotiations between Pakistan’s government and the opposition has come to light, with the refusal to postpone the long march and the failure to reach an agreement on counterterrorism emerging as the central causes of the deadlock.
According to sources familiar with the talks, the negotiating process hit repeated impasses, driven in part by external pressure exerted on opposition committee members. The government’s committee, described as fully empowered, continued to demonstrate flexibility throughout the discussions, while opposition members Mahmood Achakzai and Sohail Afridi reportedly came under pressure over demands sources characterized as inappropriate.
Provincial-Federal Rift Over Counterterrorism
Sources said a major rift between the opposition leadership and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government proved to be another key factor behind the failure of the negotiations. Opposition members were reportedly prepared to align with the federal government and state policies on counterterrorism, but the provincial government refused to cooperate.
According to the same sources, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government also declined assistance from the federal government in districts hit by terrorism. The development reportedly surprised members of the negotiating committee, who questioned why the provincial government was unwilling to work with the federation to eliminate terrorism.
Long March Announced Before Consensus
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government repeatedly announced the long march even before any consensus was reached on an agreement. Sources said the government and state institutions were prepared to show flexibility on other matters, but the provincial government’s stance ultimately led to the failure of the negotiations.
Sources further said Mahmood Achakzai played a key role in the failure of the talks and remained a dominant figure within the negotiating committee. He continued to link every matter to a meeting with the PTI founder and the latter’s release.
At one point, the government had agreed to allow Barrister Gohar to meet the PTI founder, according to the sources.
Credible sources said the decision not to postpone the long march, combined with the failure to reach an agreement on counterterrorism, ultimately became the reasons for the deadlock.
