Former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has denied reports claiming that Khan had given the go-ahead for new negotiations with the government, labeling them as “fake news.”

However, the rebuttal came from Sayed Zulfikar Bokhari—a former aide and international affairs adviser to Khan— and not the official party spokesperson.

On Thursday, journalist Ansari Abbasi reported in the English-language newspaper The News that Khan had accepted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s offer to hold talks and instructed PTI chairman Gohar Ali Khan to proceed with negotiations. The report also mentioned that Khan preferred these talks to be held away from the media to ensure “meaningful outcomes.”

Since Khan’s removal from office via a parliamentary vote in April 2022, relations between PTI and the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government have remained strained. Khan has been imprisoned since August 2023 on multiple charges he says are politically motivated. During this period, his party has organized protests and marches, some of which have resulted in clashes with law enforcement.

“There is no such statement made by Imran Khan,” Sayed Zulfikar Bokhari told the Pakistan edition of Arab News. “It is fake news. Neither has any offer been made to sit with Shehbaz Sharif or vice versa.”

Bokhari is a former federal minister and close adviser to Khan on international matters.

Meanwhile, Gohar Ali Khan declined to comment on the report.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif extended an olive branch to PTI during Indo-Pakistan tensions earlier this month.

Efforts to resolve the political deadlock through dialogue began in December 2024 but collapsed after PTI presented its demands in January. These included the formation of judicial commissions to investigate PTI’s anti-government protests in May 2023 and November 2024.

The May 9, 2023 protests saw PTI supporters carrying party flags and vandalizing military offices and installations. The November 2024 protest called for Khan’s release from prison. The government says four troops were killed during clashes with PTI supporters, a claim denied by the party, which alleges that law enforcement personnel opened fire on peaceful protesters.

After setting a seven-day deadline for the government to form the judicial commissions, PTI withdrew from talks unilaterally following the expiry of the deadline.