PTI leader Barrister Ali Zafar on Thursday said that no dialogue could be held with the government until it allowed meetings with incarcerated party founder Imran Khan.

He made the remarks while speaking alongside a delegation of the opposition alliance Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) in Lahore, which is on a three-day visit to the city as part of the opposition’s “street movement” to hold political and social gatherings.

The alliance posted on X that TTAP chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Allama Raja Nasir Abbas arrived on Friday at a gathering held at the residence of Advocate Chaudhry Ghulam Abbas, where a large number of journalists, political leaders and PTI workers were present.

Speaking during the gathering, PTI leader Barrister Ali Zafar welcomed the TTAP delegation to Lahore.

He urged the TTAP to use its platform to push for a meeting with Imran, who has not been allowed visitors in recent weeks.

“No talks or dialogue can start until meetings are allowed with Imran,” he said. Zafar assured the TTAP of “full cooperation and support from [PTI’s] leaders and workers in Lahore”.

He stressed that the top priority at the moment was the protection of Pakistan‘s sovereignty. In this regard, he said that Imran’s release was “the need of the time”.

“The government cannot take any such step that will harm Pakistan‘s future or is against Pakistan’s sovereignty,” he said.

Zafar expressed gratitude to the TTAP leadership for their visit, stating, “The difficulties you faced in reaching here, I would like to say that we face it every day here.“

On Thursday, Achakzai, who led the TTAP caravan from Islamabad to Lahore, had urged the nation and political parties to support its wheel-jam and shutter-down strike to mark the second anniversary of the Feb 8 elections, saying the protest would also pave the way for talks with the government.

The PTI had also accused the Punjab police of a crackdown on its supporters ahead of Achakzai’s visit, saying its workers were rounded up by the police in late-night raids while the caravan was also attacked by “masked individuals” on its way to the provincial capital.

Speaking to reporters, Achakzai said a powerful protest would exert pressure on the government to hold talks with the opposition and release its leader, Imran.