The Pakistani government has denied reports of ongoing negotiations with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar stated in an interview with a private television channel that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had not met with Asad Qaiser.

He acknowledged that government officials and PTI members were present at the National Assembly Speaker’s condolences following the death of Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, and that informal meetings may have occurred, but insisted that no official negotiations were underway.

Earlier reports had suggested that communication had been re-established between the government and the PTI. These reports claimed a meeting took place at the Speaker’s House involving PTI leaders, including Barrister Gohar, Omar Ayub, Sahibzada Hamid Raza, and Federal Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Azam Nazir Tarar.

Sources had indicated that parliament would be used as a platform for negotiations, a suggestion reportedly made by the Speaker and accepted by both the PTI and the government.

These sources also claimed that the PTI had softened its stance on pre-conditions for negotiations, although it was still seeking a judicial commission to investigate the events of May 9 and November 26. The government’s denial directly contradicts these earlier reports.