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PM Sharif Urges Imran Khan's Party to Call Off March and Join Talks
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News18•06-10-2026, 17:00
PM Sharif Urges Imran Khan's Party to Call Off March and Join Talks
- •Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif invited Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf for talks and urged them to cancel their ongoing long march to Islamabad.
- •The call for dialogue comes after previous negotiations collapsed primarily over the opposition's demand for access to jailed former premier Imran Khan.
- •Sharif warned that the protests would harm Pakistan's fragile economy, which has recently achieved macroeconomic stability.
- •Backdoor channels remain active to resolve differences and prevent potential clashes between protesters and security forces.
Key Questions Answered
The talks collapsed because the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf party demanded access to jailed former premier Imran Khan before calling off their protest, whereas the government insisted that the protest be wrapped up first.
The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf launched its long march two days before Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's announcement, starting from Lakki Marwat town in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa with the goal of reaching Islamabad for a sit-in.
Imran Khan has been held in jail since August 2023.
