PTI seeks time to consult Imran over charter of demands

ISLAMABAD: In the second round of talks between the PTI and the government, the PTI decided to present its charter of demands after consulting Imran Khan. After the PTI sought time for consultations with Imran, it was decided that the third round of talks will be held next week for which the time and date will be determined.

The in-camera second round of talks was held with National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq in the chair at the Parliament House on Thursday in which the government side was represented by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Rana Sanaullah, Irfan Siddiqui, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Syed Naveed Qamar, Farooq Sattar, Ijazul Haq, and Khalid Hussain Magsi. The opposition committee included Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, Salman Akram Raja, Sahibzada Hamid Raza, Asad Qaisar, Omar Ayub, and Raja Nasir Abbas.

After the meeting, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said the opposition will present a charter of demands. The PTI leaders have mentioned the demands but need more time to consult with Imran Khan. He said that the third round of negotiations will take place next week. He said the talks were held in a pleasant atmosphere.

Sadiq said that Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur had given good suggestions and has spoken openly. Everyone has decided to talk for the betterment of Pakistan. Earlier, during the meeting, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said, “We are all Pakistanis, the welfare of our people is our responsibility, negotiations will reduce bitterness and improve the environment. I hope that the parties will positively conduct the negotiations.”

The speaker said that he was trying to bring other important issues, including terrorism, economy, etc., under consideration of this committee.

Reading out the joint statement after the meeting, PMLN leader and spokesperson for the negotiation committee Senator Irfan Siddiqui said the next round of talks will be held after a week as the opposition has sought time for consultations and guidance from the PTI founder. He said talks were held in a conducive environment and it is hoped that the PTI will come with its charter of demands in black and white in the next sitting. He said it was decided that the time for the third meeting will be determined next week after the PTI committee meets Imran Khan.

Irfan Siddiqui told the media that PTI leaders have demanded the formation of a judicial commission. “We were expecting that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf would come with written points in light of which the talks could be held,” he said. Siddiqui said PTI has demanded facilitation for meeting Imran Khan and they wanted to take guidance from the founder for this process. “We have no objection to PTI leaders meeting Imran Khan and seeking facilitation. PTI has asked for one more week, after which the third round of talks will be held next week. If the opposition’s demands come in written form, we will see what they want,” he said.

The senator said that PTI leaders have talked about democratic stability. “The opposition’s tone is not harsh and many things have been appreciated by them. The talks taking place in a pleasant atmosphere is also a positive development,” he said. He said before the negotiations they had decided that all statements and events outside the meeting would not be given importance. “Whatever sentence is given in the Al-Qadir Trust on January 9, there will be no obstacle from our side in continuing the negotiations based on that outcome,” he said.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur said as the government’s behaviour seems inclined towards achieving a solution to the issues, then it is obvious that all this is happening with the willingness of the establishment.

Regarding the remission of punishments to the 19 accused of May 9 incidents, the KP CM welcomed the development. “These things were supposed to be fixed in Pakistan once and for all and I think today is that day,” he said. Gandapur said that issues should be resolved democratically and politically. “Imran Khan has given blessings to these negotiations and he will decide what to do and in what way.”

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said they expected the PTI to present its demands in writing today so that the negotiation process could be taken forward. Dar said they had no objection to the PTI committee coming up with its charter of demands after seeking guidance from Imran Khan, so that both the committees could move forward with the matter amicably.

“Talks will only be successful when there is justice for all,” PTI Secretary-General Salman Akram Raja said while speaking to a private news channel on Tuesday.

He reiterated the PTI’s demands to release “political prisoners”, including Imran, and constitute a judicial commission to probe the events of May 9, 2023, and Nov 26 crackdown on PTI protesters. “If these demands are not met...we will then devise a future course of action,” he added.

In response to a question, Raja noted that January 31 was the “cut-off date” for negotiations and after that, his party would chalk out the next course of action.

Meanwhile, PM’s aide on political affairs, Rana Sanaullah welcomed “positive statements” of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Raja during today’s meeting.

“PTI committee wanted to seek guidance from its founder,” he said while speaking on Geo News programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’, noting that the government team did not put any conditions for negotiations.

Referring to PTI’s demand to release the PTI founder, Sanaullah said that they would question the former ruling party on how such a demand can be tabled.

In response to a question, the PML-N leader said that the establishment neither asked his party to hold negotiations nor did it stop them. “Even ISPR DG said the political parties should talk to each other,” he added.

Furthermore, he rejected the notion of the government offering to release jailed Imran, saying that no one had issued statements about the PTI founder being released in 15 days.