ISLAMABAD: A meeting between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai is expected to take place within the next one to two weeks, according to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Ikhtiar Wali Khan.
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Ikhtiar Wali Khan said the engagement could occur before Achakzai’s anticipated meeting with the prime minister. He added that political matters had earlier been moving towards resolution, but recent developments had altered the trajectory.
PTI founder, Mahmood Achakzai meeting expected soon, claims Ikhtiar Wali
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Commenting on the opposition’s nationwide wheel-jam and shutter-down strike call, the PML-N leader claimed the move received a weak response in Sindh and Punjab, while Islamabad and Rawalpindi remained unaffected. He said there was no visible disruption to routine life in the twin cities and that business activities continued normally in several divisions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He further alleged that in some areas of the province, attempts were made to forcibly shut markets, claiming that attacks occurred on shops that remained open. Ikhtiar Wali Khan said video evidence of such incidents existed and added that in Malakand, residents reacted after efforts were made to close markets, resulting in clashes with PTI processions.
According to him, the strike call was driven by what he described as second-tier PTI leadership, asserting that certain figures pushed for the shutdown despite differing ground realities. He maintained that expectations of a nationwide response failed to materialise, with many citizens rejecting the call.
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On prospects for dialogue, Ikhtiar Wali Khan said any negotiations would be conducted strictly within constitutional boundaries. He stressed that demands for fresh elections would not be accepted and that engagement with PTI would proceed under the framework of law, leaving the decision to negotiate to the party itself.
He also attributed recent political developments in Balochistan to the roles of Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Mahmood Achakzai, linking them to the evolving situation in the province.