Mahmood Khan Achakzai, the chairman of the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PKMAP), who was picked by Imran Khan’s party to lead the negotiations with Pakistan’s ruling coalition, on Friday expressed willingness to hold talks with PML-N president Nawaz Sharif and PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, according to a media report on Friday.

Earlier this week, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of jailed former premier Khan picked Achakzai to lead the negotiations via the opposition alliance’s platform Tehreek-e-Tahafuz Ayeen (TTAP), the Geo News reported.

Achakzai, while speaking on a news programme, said Pakistan needs a “strong army” and clarified that his movement is not against the military. “We have raised the banner for the supremacy of democracy and the Constitution,” he added.

The 75-year-old, who also stood in the presidential elections in March as a candidate of the Sunni Ittehad Council against Asif Ali Zardari, warned that if “Zardari and Nawaz Sharif do not join us, a time will come when they will not be able to step out of their homes”.  The PKMAP chief talked about the growing public frustration over the rising cost of living and said, “People are angry. They are facing trouble to make both ends meet.”

Achakzai enjoys the full authority from the PTI to lead the talks with the government which will reportedly centre around releasing incarcerated leaders and workers, electoral transparency, and the constitutional boundaries of the judiciary, parliament and other state institutions, Geo News reported.

Earlier this week, PTI chairman Gohar Khan said Imran Khan has given a green signal for talks with the government and is “ready to forgive” what has happened to him.

“We told the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder that dialogue is necessary, as the distance is widening. He agreed with us (on this),” Gohar told the media outside the Adiala jail in Rawalpindi.

According to Gohar, Khan, 71, wants the avenues of dialogue to be opened. He told journalists that Khan is “ready to forgive what has happened to him for reconciliation”.

The cricketer-turned-politician has been lodged at the high-security Adiala Jail at Rawalpindi since his arrest 10 months ago for his involvement in multiple cases, some of which have resulted in conviction.