n Thursday, Imran Khan pulled a plug on the month-long dialogue with the government that aimed at winning freedom for his party’s incarcerated activists and seeking the establishment of two separate commissions to investigate May 9 countrywide rioting and November 24 protest march in Islamabad. Imran and his party leaders wanted these actions taken through executive orders.

In December, representative teams of the government and the opposition had met in Islamabad, ostensibly to address the country’s ongoing political challenges. The government side was represented by the speaker of the National Assembly, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Prime Minister’s Advisor Rana Sanaullah, Senator Irfan Siddiqui, Pakistan Peoples Party leaders Raja Pervez Ashraf and Naveed Qamar, and Muttahida Qaumi Movement leader Farooq Sattar. The opposition team was led by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf’s Asad Qaisar, Sunni Ittehad Council chairman Sahibzada Hamid Raza and Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen leader Allama Nasir Abbas.

Since it is customary, the two sides also spoke to the media so that the “people of Pakistan are taken into confidence” on such an important process of national mollification. Expressing optimism, Irfan Siddiqui said: “We are participating with good intentions and a focus on Pakistan’s development and prosperity. Setting aside the past, we hope for positive outcomes from these talks.”

Attempting to sound statesman-like, Speaker Ayaz Sadiq reasoned: “I am grateful to all members for forming the committees. The presence of senior leaders underscores the importance of these discussions. I hope the dialogue will focus on Pakistan’s welfare. All issues are solved through negotiations.”

Opening for the opposition, former speaker Asad Qaisar described the discussion as “preliminary.” He said: “We have demanded the release of all........

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