The government was engaging with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in talks at ‘some level’ to normalise the political situation in the country, PTI lawmaker Sher Afzal Marwat said on Thursday.

“I agree with what Sahibzada Hamid Raza has said. The government has engaged with us at some level,” he said while appearing on the Aaj News programme Rubaroo. “The level is there which should be and is.”

He did share details of the dialogue and called for waiting for an official statement. But he confirmed that there were efforts for talks from those who want to see the “political temperature” go down.

Jailed former prime minister Imran Khan formed a negotiating committee after the November 26 incident, which according to the PTI killed its 12 supporters.

Khan has warned the government of a civil disobedience movement if their demands for the release of party workers and a judicial commission on May 9 and November 26 were not met.

Earlier in the day, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar denied “rumours” of any talks with PTI and clarified that Khan’s party members called on National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq to offer condolences on the demise of his brother.

“Until government representatives like Attaullah Tarar, Azma Bukhari, and Sherry Rehman are present us, we cannot find politeness and sophistication in politics,” Marwat, who joined the show via video link, said on the show.

He alleged that such leaders were finding events to cause division.

When asked about any success in negotiations, he said: “Both sides know that in this whole process, the victims are Pakistan and its people. This realisation is enough and a truce is important for Pakistan.”

‘Eternal Faiz’ will always remain

Marwat, known for his outspoken demeanour, denied a perception that his party decided to have talks after former Inter-Services Intelligence director general Lieutenant General (retd) Faiz Hameed was charged for political activities in court martial proceedings.

On Tuesday, the Inter-Services Public Relations announced that Hameed has been formally indicted on “charges of engaging in political activities”.

In a statement, it said: “[…] And in first place Lt Gen Faiz Hameed (Retd) has been formally arraigned on charges of engaging in political activities, violations of Official Secret Act detrimental to safety and interest of the state, misuse of authority & government resources and causing wrongful loss to a person(s).”

“The point is his [Hameed] charge sheet. The DGI cannot do deals by himself, all deals are done by number 1. So why [former army chief] General (retd) General Qamar Javed Bajwa is missing, he should be with him,” he said.

The PTI lawmaker reiterated that his party faced many issues because of Hameed’s alleged presence. He was of the view that people who were near Khan would have been aware that the former spymaster had any role in the May 9 events.

“Neither the government nor the army stated that any serving or retired army men facilitated May 9. All of a sudden they got to know that there was May 9 and linked Hameed’s crime to Khan.”

In response to a question, he said that the military’s media wing did not share any details of the charge sheet in its press release. Specific allegations have not been shared, he added.

“A charge sheet shows a suspect that you have been accused of committing a crime. It is difficult to draw any conclusion as the ISPR press release seems to be a political statement,” Marwat said.

When asked about PPP leader Sherry Rehman’s criticism over former ISI DG’s alleged support to PTI, he said: “It means she says our time of being Faizyab has concluded and their time is under way.”

Marwat added: “Such Faiz has been available to everyone after Pakistan. He is ‘eternal Faiz’ from whom people have benefitted and Faiz will remain, whether in the form of Faiz Hameed or ABC.”

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Are buildings more important than people’s lives?

At one point, Marwat said that not a single policeman or army man martyred in the May 9 events and added that many people died and got injured on November 26.

The PTI lawmaker added that on May 9 crimes were limited to vandalising buildings.

“I don’t say any attack on a government building or military installation is allowed,” he said and called for forming a judicial commission to probe into the events. “But the question is that is attack on the building can be more important than loss of lives.”

He claimed that PTI supporters did not attack any buildings during the Islamabad march.

On the government’s claims that firing did not occur, Marwat said: “Political parties, people, and suspects can lie, but the state can never lie. They [the government] did not give us access to a hospital and picked up those who went hospital. The state does not act like this.”