The negotiation team representing the coalition government formed a sub-committee to review and prepare a response to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s charter of demands in a key development after incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan warned a halt to talks after crossing the seven-day deadline.
Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah revealed the formation of the sub-committee after attending a session of the government’s negotiation team held under the chair of National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq at his office earlier today.
“We will give the government’s response to the opposition in the next meeting,” the PM’s aide told reporters at the lower house, adding that the sub-committee was reviewing the former ruling party’s demands.
When questioned about ex-premier Khan’s seven-day deadline for judicial commission, Sanaullah said that they were independent to deliver statements and make their moves, however, the government side would hand over its “written reply”.
To another question regarding the government’s plan to launch a judicial probe into the May 9 and November 26 events, he replied that the PTI would be apprised about the government’s response on judicial commission.
A day ago, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan had announced that he received directives from the party’s founder to halt ongoing dialogue process with the government if it failed to form judicial commission on May 9, 2023, and November 26, 2024, events.
Senator Irfan Siddiqui, spokesperson of the government’s negotiation committee, said that the participants of today’s session have not taken a final decision to constitute a judicial commission on the PTI’s demand.
He said that the meeting, attended by all representatives from seven parties of the ruling coalition, reviewed the PTI’s charter of demands, however, no opinion has been established on it.
“Today’s meeting was positive and comprehensive […] such meetings will continue,” he said, adding that another meeting was scheduled for Wednesday (tomorrow) to deliberate on the opposition party’s demands.
He reiterated that the government will give its reply to the former ruling party after the completion of seven working days.
“In our opinion, fourth meeting had been scheduled at the conclusion of the third one,” he said.
His statement came after the PTI chairman directed Gohar not to hold fourth meeting with the coalition government if judicial commission not formed in line with the party’s demand.
Meanwhile, the PTI chairman, talking to journalists earlier today outside the parliament, reiterated that the dialogue process would not move forward if none of their two demands were accepted by the treasury.
“Dialogue is a democratic process which must be held,” said Gohar urging the government to negotiate with seriousness and sincerity to end disputes via talks.
To a question regarding Donald Trump’s return to the White House, the PTI lawmaker was of the view that the new US president was the choice of the American citizens.
He categorically rejected the allegations against the jailed former premier and his party seeking foreign support to get rid of their legal woes.
PTI-govt talks
It may be noted that the former ruling party is currently in talks with the federal government on its demands, which include the release of its founder, Imran, and other PTI leaders and supporters in jail.
The party had presented its demands to the government’s negotiation committee in writing, seeking probes into May 9, 2023, and November 26, 2024 events, as well as the release of “political prisoners”, in a third round of parleys held on January 16.
PTI’s ‘Charter of Demands’, available with Geo News, also mentions that if the government fails to constitute two separate commissions on the violent events, the party will not continue the negotiations.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had formed a committee comprising members from all ruling parties to review demands submitted by the major opposition party. The development was confirmed by PM’s aide on political affairs Rana Sanaullah last week.
