In a major political setback for national consensus, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has officially “opted out” of today’s in-camera security briefing convened by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Despite an “olive branch” extended by the ruling PML-N, the opposition maintains that no dialogue can occur until a formal meeting with their incarcerated founder, Imran Khan, is facilitated.
Government Fails to Break PTI Deadlock on Regional Security
The Special Assistant to the PM on Political Affairs, Rana Sanaullah, personally reached out to opposition leaders Mehmood Achakzai and Raja Nasir Abbas on Tuesday to extend the invitation. The briefing, scheduled for 11:30 am today at the Prime Minister’s Office, was intended to provide a unified front regarding Afghan-backed terrorism and the escalating US-Israel war on Iran.
However, following a meeting of the PTI Political Committee, the party reaffirmed its stance: physical access to Imran Khan is the prerequisite for any parliamentary cooperation. Barrister Gohar, despite being directly invited, did not attend the session.
Members of the opposition protested outside the Supreme Court (SC) on Monday to demand that the cases of incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan be immediately scheduled for hearing and that he be allowed to meet his family. https://t.co/NmnIGmORMj
— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) February 23, 2026
Rana Sanaullah Rejects Pre-Conditions for National Dialogue
Addressing reporters at Parliament House, Rana Sanaullah emphasized that the government would not accept any conditions for participating in matters of national survival. He stated that the briefing’s focus is the fragile regional situation and that “deadlock is not the solution.”
Sanaullah also revealed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir are actively using diplomatic channels to de-escalate the Iran conflict.
“We are inviting the parties for a specific cause… No benefit will go to PTI if it refuses the dialogue process on external and internal security threats.” — Rana Sanaullah, SAPM on Political Affairs.
Regional Instability Demands Cross-Party Unity
Federal Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry echoed these sentiments, urging all parties to think above political affiliations. While the PPP—represented by Sherry Rehman and Raja Pervez Ashraf—has confirmed its participation, the absence of the largest opposition group leaves a significant gap in the national security consultative process.
The government’s agenda for the meeting includes:
- Afghan Border Security: Addressing recent spikes in cross-border militancy.
- Iran War Impact: Analyzing the fallout of the IRIS Dena sinking on Pakistani maritime interests.
- Economic Fragility: Mitigating the impact of rising global energy prices on the domestic economy.
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What’s Next: PTI to Hold Independent Press Briefing
Following the boycott, the PTI leadership is expected to hold a separate press conference to detail their own “National Security Perspective.” Meanwhile, the government will proceed with the in-camera session with the remaining parliamentary heads to finalize a strategy on the Middle East crisis.
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