The second round of talks between the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the government have kicked off, with the opposition party presenting two of its major demands ie the formation of a judicial commission to investigate the events of May 9 and November 26, as well as the release of all political prisoners, including the party's founding chairman Imran Khan.
A PTI delegation arrived at the Parliament House for talks, which included prominent party figures such as Omar Ayub, Raja Nasser Abbas, Asad Qaiser, Sahibzada Hamid Raza, and Salman Akram Raja, Express News reported.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur also joined the delegation shortly after. The negotiation committee was chaired by Speaker of the National Assembly, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq.
Other key participants include Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders Irfan Siddiqui, Rana Sanaullah, and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leaders Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Naveed Qamar, along with Aleem Khan, Farooq Sattar, Ejaz-ul-Haq, and Khalid Magsi.
During the meeting, PTI representatives reiterated their demand for the formation of a judicial commission to probe the events surrounding the May 9 protests and the November 26 sit-ins.
The party also called for the immediate release of Imran Khan and all other detained PTI members and workers.
Asad Qaiser, while speaking to the media, acknowledged that the negotiation process could be prolonged and noted that progress in the first two meetings had been limited. "We will listen to the government and present our case," he said.
Earlier, PTI leaders met Speaker Ayaz Sadiq ahead of the negotiations, with Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah also present.
In a separate meeting, PTI leaders convened with the opposition leader in the National Assembly, where Salman Akram Raja briefed the committee members about Imran Khan's message and emphasized the importance of addressing PTI's two main demands.
Sulaiman Akram Raja also communicated Imran Khan’s message to the committee, emphasizing the need for a judicial commission to investigate the events of May 9 and November 26 and for the release of all detained PTI leaders and workers.
When asked by journalists whether PTI was submitting their demands in writing, Omar Ayub responded that the party would finalize and present their written proposals after further consultations.
He also clarified that the ongoing negotiations were taking place in the Parliament and denied the possibility of any "secret negotiations" elsewhere.
Imran Khan's instructions to party
Imran Khan, the founding chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), earlier issued a firm directive to his party to avoid any compromise on the issue of prisoner release as talks with the government approach.
Imran's message came during a meeting with two members of PTI’s negotiation committee – Barrister Ali Zafar and Suleman Akram Raja – at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, Express News reported.
Suleman Akram Raja, who spoke briefly to the media after the meeting, reaffirmed the party’s position. "We are standing firm on our stance, and we remain hopeful about the success of the negotiations," he said.
Following the meeting, the two committee members left the jail to prepare for the next round of negotiations.
Imran Khan’s clear instruction to the committee was not to give in to any pressure regarding the release of prisoners, a key sticking point in the ongoing political dialogue.
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