National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq called for a crucial secret meeting between the government and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on January 2, 2025.
The meeting will take place in Parliament at 11am and is expected to build on discussions that began on December 23. The PTI, after internal consultations, will present two key demands in writing during the upcoming session.
These demands include the formation of a judicial commission to investigate the violent events of May 9, 2023 and the November 26 crackdown on PTI workers in Islamabad, as well as the release of all political prisoners, including the founder of the PTI , Imran Khan.
Former National Assembly Speaker and PTI leader Asad Qaiser reiterated these demands and stated that the party is firm on the need for a commission to investigate the May 9 and November 26 incidents. He also highlighted the need for Khan’s release.
The first round of talks on December 23 was described as positive and both sides agreed to continue the dialogue.
Representing the PTI in the previous meeting were Qaiser, Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) president Sahibzada Hamid Raza and Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas.
The government side will be represented by a nine-member committee, which includes Deputy Prime Minister and External Affairs Minister Ishaq Dar, Prime Minister’s political assistant Rana Sanaullah, Senator Irfan Siddiqui, PPP’s Raja Parvez Ashraf, Naveed Qamar, to the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP). ) leader Aleem Khan, PML-Q leader Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Balochistan Awami Party Sardar Khalid Magsi and MQM-P leader Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui.
Sadiq praised the leadership of both the government and the opposition for creating a constructive environment and expressed hope that these efforts would lead to greater political stability and resolution of Pakistan’s challenges.
The January 2 meeting is seen as a crucial step in resolving the current political polarization and fostering cooperation between the government and the PTI.
