• PTI to submit written demands today, asks govt to ‘show progress’ in third sitting
• Irfan Siddiqui says govt eager for dialogue, blames other side for slow pace of talks
• NA speaker stresses need for ‘constructive engagement’ to resolve issues
ISLAMABAD: A meeting of the PTI negotiation team with party founder Imran Khan in Adiala jail on Sunday paved the way for a third round of talks between the government and the opposition, which is expected to take place sometime this week.
The meeting in prison, reportedly facilitated by National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, came after days of complaints by the PTI that its team had not been allowed unmonitored access to Imran Khan in jail.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur also met the party chief in a one-on-one meeting before meeting him along with the delegation.
Now, the PTI is expected to submit its demands to the NA speaker — who is the head of the negotiation committee — in writing today (Monday).
At the outset of their contacts, the PTI had put forth two demands: the release of political prisoners and the formation of a judicial commission to probe the May 9 and Nov 26 crackdowns.
“Imran Khan also said that he decided to keep the demands for negotiations simple and short so that the government could not find a way out,” said PTI leader Asad Qaiser, who is a member of the PTI team of negotiators, after meeting the former prime minister in jail.
According to Mr Qaiser, the PTI chief deliberately kept their demands limited to see if the government was serious about the talks, or not.
After their meeting with the PTI founder, Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) chief Sahibzada Hamid Raza told reporters that Mr Khan was informed about the progress of the negotiations. He said that the PTI would continue pressing the government for the formation of a judicial commission to probe the May 9 and Nov 26 incidents and for the release of the workers.
“You would have to show progress in the third meeting,” Dawn.com quoted him as saying. The PTI would talk about the “nitty gritty” of the judicial commission in the meeting, he said, adding Jan 31 was the cut-off date for the implementation of this demand.
Replying to questions, he said that the PTI was not demanding a National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) and claimed that time would prove that Imran Khan was not guilty.
Govt eager to resume talks
On the other hand, Senator Irfan Siddiqui, who is the spokesperson for the government’s negotiating team, said their side was eager to resume talks with the PTI and blamed it for the slow pace of negotiations.
He told Dawn the meeting would be held in the next few days. The senator said that the second round of talks took place on Dec 23 and the opposition party was standing in the same place where it was 21 days ago.
“We wanted dialogue with the PTI from the day first, but it was the PTI which has avoided talks and called us thieves,” he said, adding that some of the committee members were abroad and the speaker might desire the presence of all members for the third round of talks. Senator Siddiqui said the PTI would probably meet the NA speaker today and submit their written demands.
Amid reports that the PTI chief may get invited for the oath-taking of US President-elect Donald Trump, the PML-N leader played down the reports.
“Let’s see when Jan 20 comes; inviting him (Imran) to the ceremony will not bring about doomsday,” he said, adding, “The government has nothing to do with this. We only want serious and meaningful dialogues.”
NA speaker highlights his role
Earlier in the day, a statement was issued by the National Assembly Secretariat, saying that Speaker Ayaz Sadiq played a vital role in reducing political tensions and fostering constructive dialogue between the government and the opposition through significant and thoughtful initiatives.
“The NA speaker has repeatedly emphasised the importance of positive and constructive dialogue to resolve issues through mutual understanding,” the statement said, adding the government arranged a meeting between the PTI negotiators and Imran Khan following the speaker’s message.
This initiative, praised by both the government and the opposition, underscores the speaker’s neutrality and pivotal role in fostering reconciliation, said the statement. According to the statement, the speaker has consistently stressed the importance of mutual respect and dignified treatment among all political actors.
According to the statement, “In the last session, he issued an official ruling affirming that the doors of the speaker’s office remain open to all members at all times, ensuring equal access for all political stakeholders. Even in the NA speaker’s absence, members of parliament can easily communicate through his office. The speaker’s staff ensures that all messages are promptly delivered to him.”
Published in Dawn, January 13th, 2025
