The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf should be left to its own devices, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said after jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s party backed out of talks with the government.

“I think there are more topics to discuss, leave them to their own devices. PTI wants conditional talks and such talks fail,” he said while appearing on the Aaj News programme Rubaroo via telephone link on Sunday.

When asked, he said that the PTI also threatened to march to Islamabad in the past. “This too shall pass,” he said and added that the government was heading towards improvement.

On Friday, PTI leaders announced their decision to boycott the fourth round of talks with the government because of a delay over the formation of judicial commissions.

The fourth round is scheduled to take place on Tuesday. The two sides had been engaged in talks to bring down political temperatures. In the last meeting, Khan’s party formally presented its demands in writing including the judicial commission on May 9 and November 26 events and the release of PTI prisoners.

Asif reiterated that the PTI’s decision to end talks was not “unexpected” as the party was not working on resolving any issue but seeking relief for itself. “Talks were not a step to chalk out a way for Pakistan amid this situation. Everyone wants to give relief to a person. I have said that these talks have no purpose.”

He alleged that the PTI leaders were not united and gathered for their personal interests.

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To a question related to recent changes within PTI, he said that the PTI has the responsibility to ensure peace in the province amid the law and order situation in Kurram and Parachinar.

“Anarchy will continue,” Asif said when asked about the reaction after the failure of the talks. “Hopefully, our journey will continue irrespective of the fact what they do. That is something which can be dealt [with].”

According to Asif, any grand opposition alliance after PTI leaders meeting with JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman would not be a matter of concern.