At long last good sense has dawned on the political players who have agreed to hold negotiations to put an end to the polarisation and tension that has darkened the country’s political landscape during the last two years. First, it was the PTI that was reluctant to come to the negotiating table, and later PML-N leaders played hard to get. The result has been continued political and economic instability that has kept the country on tenterhooks.

It is relevant to mention here that all the while backchannel informal contacts have been made which ultimately paved the way for opening formal negotiations. In this connection, a major role has been played by NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq who repeatedly said that the doors of his office are open to both the government and the opposition to hold a joint meeting and find a way out of the present political morass.

The ball was set rolling when Imran Khan a few days ago announced a five-member negotiation team comprising Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, Sunni Ittehad Council Chairman Sahibzada Hamid Raza, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja and PTI MNA Asad Qaiser. This was followed by the PTI publicly expressing its willingness to engage in dialogue for the sake of political stability and development in the country. The party emphasized that solutions to the nation’s issues can only be found through negotiations.

The PTI’s parliamentary party met in a special session and released a statement highlighting that Imran Khan had formed a negotiation committee with a positive outlook, aiming for the country to progress and develop. The PTI reiterated that the ongoing  turmoil in the country can only be resolved through dialogue, stressing that political stability is essential for economic progress. Additionally, the parliamentary party demanded the immediate release of all political prisoners, including Imran Khan, and called for the establishment of a judicial commission to investigate the incidents of May 9 and November 26.

Soon afterwards PM Shehbaz Sharif formed a committee composed of members of the governing coalition to hold negotiations with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. The decision followed a proposal by the Speaker of the National Assembly, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, in response to PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar’s request for initiating talks. It is important to mention here that a day earlier Barrister Gohar had approached Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq urging him to play a role in facilitating discussions between the government and PTI. Speaker Ayaz Sadiq publicly acknowledged that PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar had urged him to play an active role in facilitating negotiations. Talking to the media, Speaker Sadiq confirmed that he had accepted Gohar’s request and recognised the need for negotiations to address the ongoing issues. He also stated that he would formally request the Prime Minister to establish a government negotiating team. Subsequently, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved the formation of the committee, emphasising the importance of prioritising national security and collective interest during the negotiations. PM Sharif expressed hope that the talks would lead to a resolution that upholds the country’s stability and integrity.

In a major breakthrough, the first round of talks between the negotiating teams of the government and the PTI has taken place with both sides agreeing that the dialogue process should continue to resolve all contentious issues in the larger interest of the country. It was an ice breaking session held in a spirit of goodwill amid expression of hope for a negotiated settlement of all differences between the two sides. But the real test will come when in future meetings substantive issues will come up for discussion.

Needless to say, for the talks to succeed both sides will have to moderate their hard stand and show a spirit of accommodation. The success of the dialogue under way will require a clear policy shift and a break from the previous political strategies pursued by the two sides. The PTI will need to turn away from its heavy-handed approach towards the Establishment, while the government will have to revisit its policy of pushing the PTI to the wall and denying it its due place in the national polity commensurate with its mass appeal in the country.

To a great extent the success of the talks will hinge on confidence-building measures (CBMs) from both sides. A visible departure from their current policies will smooth the way for a positive outcome from the talks. As an opener, the government should release major PTI leaders held in detention for the last one year, while the PTI should withdraw its call for a civil disobedience movement in the country. This will create a conducive atmosphere for the talks to come to a successful conclusion. In the meantime, both sides should rein in hawkish elements within their ranks so that they don’t say or do things that may sabotage the whole process.