President Arif Alvi was playing the role of mediator between the coalition government and the former ruling party, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said, adding that the outcome of similar attempts made in the past by other top PTI leaders did not get the nod from Imran Khan.

“So now, I don’t know what status Alvi sahab has in front of him [Imran Khan]. But he is making efforts,” Sanaullah told reporters after appearing in front of the anti-narcotics court in Lahore on Saturday. “Because of his efforts, if there are any talks it should be on economics as it will benefit the common man.”

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has met with the president four times over the past couple of weeks. At the last meeting on Thursday, the PTI leaders said the talks have reached a deadlock.

Alvi had spoken about the possibility of early elections—a demand his party leader has made with an ultimatum to dissolve Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab assemblies this month if the snap poll date was not announced. However, a media report said that Dar sought the president’s support for the implementation of the International Monetary Fund’s programme.

Fahd Husain, the prime minister’s spokesperson, to some extent responded to the deadlock in an interview with Aaj News. “Only Mr president or Dar sahab know about it. But, the important point is the government suffers when there is instability in the country. It is in the government’s interest to keep the political temperatures low.”

He admitted that the president was playing a role in the ongoing negotiations, however, maintained that “elections will be held on time”. The PM’s spokesperson stressed that all stakeholders should sit together for electoral reforms.

Last week, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry confirmed that an “informal conversation” between the PTI and the federal government had begun. It was right after Imran’s conditional talks offer.

Sanaullah has challenged Imran to “immediately dissolve” assemblies as his party was ready for early elections. He claimed that the PML-N would defeat the PTI in the polls.

“Hopefully elections will be held in 2023, it won’t make any difference if it is held two months before or after two months. And, hopefully, it won’t be like our performance in 2018,” he said and called for improving the economy first.

“If people are displeased due to inflation we will justify it. When we will go to the people and put in front of them. Hopefully, we will be in majority in Punjab and form the government,” Sanaullah said.

To a query, the interior minister said that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has accepted the party’s request to be present for the next election campaign. The N-league had urged the party supremo to make the decision on party tickets, an announcement of the party manifesto, and go to the masses.

“So, whenever there is a need… if they dissolve assemblies… and maybe Shehbaz Sharif being a prime minister could not take part in election campaigns then in this case his [Nawaz] presence will be more needed. So whenever there is a need he will land here and lead the party.”

When asked about the same policy apparently being carried out by COAS Gen Syed Asim Munir like his predecessor, the interior minister said that the institution does not follow any individual’s policy whether it was right or wrong.

“The last policy was also of the institution and the interference was also as per the institution’s policy,” he said in an apparent reference to the tenure of the PTI government. He added that the decision to remain “apolitical” and not want to interfere was also of the institution as announced by the DG ISPR and DG ISI in the famed press conference.

“I am not saying this. This statement was given by DG ISPR and DG ISI publicly in front of the nation and they have made a commitment to the whole nation. On which we have a full belief and the institution will carry out this promise.”