ISLAMABAD   -   Contrary to its previous stance that it would only talk with the ‘powerful stakeholders’, the beleaguered PTI has given a mandate to Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PMAP) chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai to hold talks with the PML-N-led ruling alliance.

At least two leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have now confirmed to the media that incarcerated party founder Imran Khan has given a go-ahead to Achakzai to negotiate with the government from the platform of newly formed opposition alliance Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-e-Pakistan (Movement for the Protection of Constitution of Pakistan). The nationalist leader from Balochsitan is also the president of the six-party opposition alliance.

PTI Information Secretary Raoof Hasan in his media interaction has confirmed that PTI would consider any “constructive suggestions” brought forward by Chairman PMAP Achakzai through his dialogue with the government.

In the past couple of days, the PTI had been given different signals on the issue of talks with the government, sometime claiming that it was open to talks and another time saying that it would not negotiate at least with three ruling parties including the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P).

Despite its repeated claims that PTI would only talk with the powerful military establishment, former prime minister Khan was quoted as saying this in the second week of June that he had directed his party leaders to reach out to the government for a dialogue.

Later, the party spokesperson Hasan said that Khan had clearly told them that there would be no talks with those three major ruling parties who had allegedly stolen their mandate in the February 8 elections.