Speaker of the National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq revealed that a formal invitation was extended to the Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Chief Whip to meet with an American delegation, but both declined to attend.

Sadiq emphasized that those seeking assistance from foreign powers should also engage in meaningful dialogue with them and confirmed he possesses official evidence of the invitation.

During discussions with the American delegation, it was noted that three U.S. Congress members stated they had no involvement in Pakistan’s internal affairs, and the opposition did not mention PTI founder Imran Khan’s name throughout the meeting.

Sadiq expressed his willingness to facilitate negotiations but underscored that such discussions cannot be forced. “Clapping requires two hands. If one party is unwilling to sit down, I cannot repeatedly force the issue,” he stated, affirming that he would convey concerns raised by either the government or the opposition.

The Speaker criticized the opposition for frequently raising quorum notices during question hours, which disrupts the legislative process.

He voiced his dissatisfaction with the assembly’s performance over the past year, pointing out that it is the government’s responsibility to ensure a quorum for legislation to proceed.

The situation took an intriguing turn as multiple PTI leaders and family members were prevented from accessing Adiala Jail on the day of Imran Khan’s scheduled meeting.

PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja and Naeem Banjhota were both stopped by police en route to the jail.

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However, Barrister Salman Safdar, the PTI founder’s lawyer, along with Niazullah Niazi and Azam Khan Niazi, successfully reached the facility. Additionally, family member Mehralnisa Ahmad attempted to visit Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi.

Meanwhile, Imran Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, along with other relatives, was halted at a police checkpoint in Gorakhpur. In response to their obstruction, she addressed the media, stating, “Today we are being stopped again. We did not make any call before, nor did we make one today. We only tweeted that if permission is not granted, family members will sit outside.”

As the political landscape remains tense, Ayaz Sadiq reiterated his commitment to ensuring parliamentary functionality and expressed profound concern over the dire situation in Palestine, noting that further discussions regarding international issues, including Kashmir and Palestine, are ongoing with every international delegation.