Defence minister Khwaja Muhammad Asif hinted at putting a ban on the party, suggesting that the PTI might not get another chance for talks in near future, and may be 'removed' from the political mainstream.
In the current scenario, it is too late for Imran to enter into any talks with the PDM government. Some heavyweights in the party have gone over the wishes of Imran Khan and said that they could represent the party for talks. Such as Asad Umar, who has still not disassociated himself from PTI, and only resigned as party secretary general.
Though the future of the polls remains unclear, it would be a difficult situation for PTI to perform in election campaigns, as 'electables' are leaving the party in droves with each passing day. These repetitive visuals of short press conferences by exhaustedly PTI politicians are expected from Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the days to come as well.
The next political stations of these players, who had also been in other parties before they joined Khan's popular platform, would be important in coming elections. PTI's dissidents had already disassociated with Imran Khan after no confidence motion against him; they had already hinted they would join Pakistan People's Party (PPP) or Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) after the announcement of elections by the election commission (ECP).
The important phase of distributing party tickets again would be challenging for PTI, currently facing thoughest time since it's inception. PTI members who have appeared in 'short press conferences' might not participate in the polls, and there are reports that those who secured PTI tickets after much investment and cajoling were now returning those tickets and vowing not to contest elections as PTI candidates.
A major splinter group is likely to emerge from the PTI ranks in the coming days. Jahangir Tareen, considered the main architect of the party and the prime force behind setting up Khan's government in 2028, can start playing an important role by making a group "parallel" to the existing PTI. His contribution to consolidate the party before and after the 2018 general elections is an important chapter of the country’s political history, which cannot be wished away by those who believe Khan's popularity won him those polls.
Nevertheless, Imran Khan's plays in the current political scene remain important, even as he has to face legal battles before he can enter into any more political battles. Political gurus purport that Khan would be considered lucky enough if he managed to survive through the coming legal battles, as many cases against him can also lead to his disqualification from ever holding public office again.