Former information minister Fawad Chaudhry has claimed that the government started dialogue with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf under international pressure.

“Talks will continue if the international pressure increases. It will stop if the government believes that it can manage the international pressure,” he said while appearing on the Aaj News programme News Insight with Amir Zia on Tuesday.

The PTI leaders have demanded “unfettered and uncontrolled” access to party founder Imran Khan in Adiala Jail to discuss “serious and important” matters.

In the second round of negotiations with the government, the PTI negotiating committee demanded the ruling coalition’s team give access to Khan for the ‘Charter of Demand’.

The government has asked the former ruling party to submit a written document, containing a list of demands. The PTI has sought the formation of a judicial commission on May 9 and November 26 and the release of all “political prisoners”.

It was expected to meet Khan in the jail on Monday or Tuesday (today), according to PTI negotiation committee spokesperson Sahibzada Hamid Raza. He warned that the PTI would make a decision if access to Khan was not granted.

“If the government cannot even arrange PTI leaders meeting with Imran Khan then how can it fulfil what other demands of PTI,” Fawad said and called for a grand dialogue, including the establishment, to ensure political stability.

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He claimed that backdoor talks were being held by both sides of the aisle, citing that no one could have sat on the negotiation table if it was not like that.

The former information minister said that the military sentencing of more suspects would make things worse and ties with the US deteriorate. “Pakistan cannot afford sanctions,” he said.

When asked, Fawad stated, “If Pakistan is low on the priorities of the United States, it means that the establishment is low on the priority list, not the state itself.”