ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) appears to be adopting a wait-and-see policy amid a dialogue with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)-led ruling coalition, as it is taking time to present your letter of demands in black. and white, citing that the instructions of the imprisoned founding president of the party have not yet been transmitted.
However, the party is said to be delaying the process because it wants to see the ruling on a £190m benchmark which is due to be announced on January 6.
The much-awaited second meeting between the two sides could not go beyond the verbal demands previously raised by the PTI seeking immediate release of the jailed workers and former Prime Minister Imran Khan, formation of a judicial commission to probe the incidents. on May 9 and November 26 and access to jailed PTI founder Imran Khan to finalize the letter of demands.
Background discussions with party leaders from both sides revealed that the PTI had delayed its plan to submit written demands to assess the government’s flexibility in allowing PTI leaders access to the jailed leader and the outcome of the corruption reference of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against Khan and others. , including his wife.
The meeting between the government and the PTI was held in Parliament and was chaired by National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq. The PTI delegation included Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub, former Speaker of the National Assembly Asad Qaiser, Chairman Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), Sahibzada Hamid Raza, and the leader of the Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen, Allama Raja Nasir. Abbas and PTI General Secretary Salman Akram Raja.
On the government side, senior leaders of the ruling coalition, including Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Advisor to Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah, PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui, PPP leaders Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Naveed Qamar, Dr Farooq Sattar of MQM-P, Foreign Minister of IPP Privatization Abdul Aleem Khan, Khalid Hussain Magsi of BAP and . PML-Z Haq’s Ijazul attended the meeting.
An official statement released after the meeting indicated that the opposition leader as well as PTI negotiation committee head Omar Ayub and other members expressed their views on the ongoing talks and the political situation, saying that They demanded that Imran Khan, party leaders and workers be released. “The government should not stand in the way of obtaining bail,” it said.
The PTI reiterated its demand that a judicial commission be held into the May 9 and November 26 incidents so that the full facts can come to light. The statement added that the PTI committee informed the other party that it should be allowed to meet, consult and seek guidance from Khan to present its letter of demands before the government.
The committee maintained that Khan had given permission to start talks with the government and that his instructions were crucial to moving forward. After the meeting and consultations with Khan, the PTI committee assured that it would formally present its letter of demands in the next meeting.
Later, Deputy Chief Minister Ishaq Dar said the government hoped that the PTI negotiation committee would present its demands, as decided in the previous meeting, so that the process could be taken to the next step. However, Dar said the government has no objection to the delay and said the PTI committee could meet Khan and finalize their letter of demands so that both sides can move forward.
It was decided, according to the statement, that the date of the third meeting of both committees would take place next week after the PTI committee’s meeting with Khan.
Meanwhile, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq praised the positive and cordial atmosphere of the meeting and expressed hope that all parties involved would continue the discussions constructively.
The speaker highlighted his role as a facilitator and suggested that Pakistan’s pressing issues, including terrorism and economy, should also be discussed within the committee. “We are all Pakistanis and it is our collective responsibility to solve the nation’s problems,” he said, underlining the need for cooperation to find solutions to the country’s challenges. He reiterated: “We must all play our part in solving these problems.”
Earlier, while talking to media, PTI leader Asad Qaiser said that the negotiation process is long and nothing happens in just two meetings, and said that PTI will listen to the government and also express its opinion in the talks. .
Similarly, Ayub, responding to a question on whether royal talks were taking place elsewhere, said the lawmakers were members of parliament and were holding talks there.
The long-awaited talks between the two sides began on December 23, 2024 to lower the high political temperature. Although there are high hopes pinned on the talks between the government and the PTI, things have so far not gone beyond verbal discussions in the first two meetings.
However, the start of the dialogue reflects a change in political dynamics, as both sides appear willing to explore a negotiated solution to the impasse. The PTI’s softened stance in Parliament, along with Imran Khan’s directive to form a five-member negotiating team, had prompted the government to reciprocate by forming its own committee.
Once the PTI submits its demand letter, the ruling coalition will examine it and further deliberations will determine the trajectory of the dialogue. Both sides have expressed optimism, but the real test lies in their ability to bridge deep political divisions and prioritize national interests over partisan agendas.
Despite the positive atmosphere, the talks face major obstacles, especially with the PTI’s insistence on the release of Imran Khan. The government’s stance on this critical lawsuit remains uncertain, particularly as Imran’s legal problems continue to mount.
A verdict is expected on January 6 in the high-profile £190 million Al-Qadir Trust case, involving both Imran and his wife.
