Govt, PTI Hold First Round Of Talks Today
Abdullah Hussain (@Abdulla99267510) Published December 23, 2024 | 12:27 PM
Members of committees from both government and PTI start arriving at Parliament House
ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-Dec 23rd, 2024) The Federal government and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is holding first round of talks on Monday (today).
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders on Monday started arriving at the Parliament House to participate in the first session of negotiations with the government.
The arrangements for the talks between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the government have been completed in Committee Room No. 5 of the Parliament House. Security personnel at the Parliament House have also finalized preparations.
The high-level talks, chaired by Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, would see PTI leaders, including Asad Qaiser, arriving at the venue.
On the government side, Irfan Siddiqui, Aleem Khan, Ishaq Dar, Naveed Qamar, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Rana Sanaullah have also reached the Parliament House.
The in-camera session marks the first round of negotiations between the ruling coalition and PTI, during which the venue and terms of reference (TORs) for the talks will be determined.
The government’s committee comprised Ishaq Dar, Rana Sanaullah, Irfan Siddiqui, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Naveed Qamar, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Abdul Aleem Khan and Chaudhry Salik.
Meanwhile, the PTI’s committee consisted of Umar Ayub, Ali Amin Gandapur, Asad Qaiser, Salman Akram Raja and Sahibzada Hamid Raza.
PTI sources revealed that Asad Qaiser, Hamid Raza, and Allama Raja Nasir Abbas would represent the party in the negotiations. However, Ali Amin is busy with a provincial cabinet meeting, opposition leader Umar Ayub is attending court proceedings, and Hamid Khan is on a visit to Bangladesh. Salman Akram Raja will also not attend the session.
The sources within the PTI criticized the government for scheduling the talks on Monday without prior consultation, saying that many PTI leaders are occupied with the legal cases and other matters.
Allama Raja Nasir Abbas remarked that the establishment played a significant role in the talks, and its support is being utilized. He emphasized that all the stakeholders should prioritize Pakistan’s interests. He further noted that the PTI’s founder advocated for upholding the constitution and law.
“This is the government’s last chance to fix the situation,” said Allama Raja Nasir Abbas.
He added that the government’s intentions will become clear once talks commence. "PTI’s founder will never plead for release; he stands for the rule of law," he reiterated.
Speaking upon his arrival at the Parliament House, PTI leader Sahibzada Hamid Raza said, “We are going for talks with an open heart but will not compromise on the agenda,”.
He demanded the release of political prisoners and the formation of a judicial commission. "The release of PTI’s founder is a top priority in freeing political prisoners," he emphasized, refraining from making any statements that might impact the negotiations.
Speaking to media representatives at the Parliament House, Irfan Siddiqui expressed optimism, saying that, “We are going to hold talks with positive expectations, focus on Pakistan’s development and the well-being of its people. With the good intentions, we hope for favorable outcomes from the negotiations while leaving the past behind,”.
Omar Ayub, the PTI leader, said that the government formed a committee for the talks. He said the talks would be held with them.
“Today is the first round of talks. Let’s see what happens and evaluate the government’s intentions,” he added.
