Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders striving to restore backchannel negotiations are reportedly disappointed over an aggressive statement against Army Chief General Asim Munir, issued from the party’s official X (Twitter) account.
According to informed sources, an aggressive tweet, along with some other controversial content, was shared, creating a setback for PTI. While the party is attempting to engage in dialogue with the establishment, it is simultaneously running an anti-military campaign and launching personal attacks on the Army Chief.
The reaction to the tweet has reportedly caused distress among PTI leaders who, with the consent of jailed party founder Imran Khan, have been pushing for reconciliation through informal talks.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan are aware of this latest development. Both have been engaged in backchannel discussions and are now reportedly making fresh attempts to re-establish contacts with the concerned authorities.
However, there is a growing realization within the party that criticizing the establishment while seeking negotiations may not be a viable strategy. Efforts were made to convince Imran Khan to soften the party’s stance against the establishment on social media, but he did not comply.
Several PTI leaders disagree with this confrontational approach but appear powerless to change the strategy. A senior party leader, speaking on the condition of anonymity, admitted that it is unrealistic to expect relief while continuing to criticize the same authorities.
The military, on its part, has reiterated that it will not engage in political negotiations and insists that political parties should resolve their issues through dialogue among themselves.
Army Chief General Asim Munir recently dismissed reports of receiving a letter from Imran Khan, stating that if such a letter arrived, he would forward it to the Prime Minister instead of reading it. His statement came after Imran Khan reportedly sent his third open letter to the Army Chief.
Recently, PTI leaders Ali Amin Gandapur and Barrister Gohar met General Asim Munir, sparking speculation about a possible political dialogue. However, official and security sources insisted that the meeting was unplanned and focused solely on security matters.
Imran Khan reportedly viewed the meeting as the beginning of negotiations with the establishment. However, Barrister Gohar remained cautious, telling the media that only security issues were discussed. Some media reports hinted at a follow-up meeting between PTI representatives and establishment figures, but no formal confirmation of such talks has been made.
