ISLAMABAD  -  The opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Thursday again categorically denied any possibility of talks with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) led ruling coalition in the Centre, under the “hostile atmosphere” for the opposition party.

PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram talking to a select group of journalists said no formal dialogue has been started with the federal government despite former prime minister Imran Khan’s consistent advocacy for a peaceful resolution of issues through negotiations.

Last week, jailed PTI founder Khan formed a five-member team comprising the party’s senior leadership to hold talks with the government and powers-that-be on his two demands. These include formation of an independent commission to hold an investigation into incidents of May 9 and November 26, and release of political prisoners.

Sheikh Waqas underlined that the PTI would never beg for talks as the government’s continued persecution of the party workers and leaders created an insurmountable barrier to talks. “It is the government’s responsibility to foster a conducive environment for negotiations, as any attempts of a dialogue under the current circumstances would be an exercise of futility,” he added

He also categorically rejected the idea of a national government, saying it was a ploy to undermine democracy and legitimize the theft of PTI’s mandate.

Dismissing the idea of a national government, the information secretary said anything short of restoring PTI’s stolen mandate would be unacceptable, as this would be a blatant disregard for democratic principles and a travesty of democracy. He emphasized that PTI would not be a part of this charade.

He stated that the nation achieved a peaceful revolution on February 8 by granting PTI a landslide victory, only to be robbed of this mandate through a midnight polls heist. He noted that this stolen mandate was, in fact, the genuine representation of the people’s will, and its restoration was crucial for upholding democratic principles.

Waqas made it unequivocally clear that those individuals peddling the notion of a national government had nothing to do with PTI because such a proposal was not only workable but accepting it would be disrespect of public mandate.

He reaffirmed PTI’s unwavering commitment to democratic principles, emphasizing that the party would not compromise on the people’s fundamental right to elect their representatives. He urged the incumbent government to respect the people’s mandate and relinquish power to its rightful owners.

He claimed that the government, lacking democratic legitimacy, employed brutal tactics to dismantle PTI, but these measures ultimately backfired, as the party’s popularity continued to soar with each passing day. He said the power usurpers failed to learn from their mistakes and instead intensified their brutalities and cruelties against PTI supporters and their families especially in Punjab and Balochistan.

The information secretary strongly condemned the ongoing harassment and intimidation of PTI workers and their families. He said the government’s actions, including detention of workers and raids on their homes and terrorizing the supporters, were unacceptable and a blatant violation of human rights.

He said despite PTI workers and supporters facing brutalities and harassment in Punjab and Balochistan, the party remained resolute in its pursuit of justice, equality, democracy and true independence. He vowed that PTI would continue to speak out against injustice and fight for the people’s rights, refusing to be silenced or intimidated by strong-arm tactics and would not rest until the people’s rights were respected.