PTI puts its foot down on judicial probe demand
On Sunday, the PTI leadership finally met with party founder Imran Khan at Adiala Jail and later announced that the ongoing dialogue process with the PML-N led government could not move forward unless a judicial commission was formed by January 31 to investigate the incidents of May 9, 2023 and November 26, 2024.
The PTI negotiation committee's long-awaited meeting with the former prime minister took place a day after National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq reportedly intervened and convinced the government to allow PTI leaders to meet Imran ahead of the third round of the ongoing talks.
The delay in facilitating a meeting between the PTI committee and its founder had resulted in a deadlock. The government had accused the PTI of hesitating in submitting its demands in writing while the PTI had questioned the government's ability to hold talks, stating that it could not submit its charter of demands without first discussing it with Imran.
The meeting finally took place on Sunday in which the PTI leadership not only finalised its charter of demands but also threw the ball in the government's court ahead of the third round of talks.
Following the meeting at Adiala Jail, the spokesperson of the PTI negotiation committee, Sahibzada Hamid Raza, told the media that talks with the government could not move forward if a judicial commission was not constituted by January 31 to investigate May 9 and November 26 incidents.
"The ball is now in the government's court," said Raza, the head of Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) under whose banner the PTI is sitting in parliament. The PTI, he said, had shown maximum flexibility in its approach to make the whole process meaningful.
Raza urged the government to come prepared for the next meeting with concrete proposals regarding the commission. He clarified that the PTI is not demanding a judge of its choice but is calling for a commission led by senior-most judges of the Supreme Court to identify those responsible for the two events.
He expressed frustration over the lack of progress in the talks and said the release of jailed PTI workers was also a demand to be presented in writing at the next meeting.
"Practical steps must be taken in the third meeting," he reiterated, adding that the PTI founder had entrusted Omar Ayub, the head of the negotiation committee, with full authority to sign the charter of demands on behalf of the party.
Raza shunned the impression that Imran Khan would seek release through any executive orders, emphasising that he would only seek release through legal means.
Commenting on the £190 million corruption reference, he said its verdict will not enhance Pakistan's reputation, adding that neither Imran Khan and his wife, nor any of their family members was a beneficiary in the case.
He, however, warned that if the reference's decision came against Imran then it could lead to increasing bitterness in the negotiation process. He clearly conveyed that the PTI was ready for the next sitting with the government, saying the government must show willingness to meet the party's demands.
In a bid to defuse tensions and mend fences, the ruling PML-N and opposition PTI agreed on December 12 to open formal communication channelsa move that aimed to replace confrontation with constructive dialogue, address long-standing issues and seek to steady the ship of political stability.
Following simmering tensions between the two sides, particularly after the November 26 crackdown, the stalemate was broken when PTI leader Asad Qaiser and Salman Akram Raja met NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq at the Parliament House to offer condolences for his sister's death.
During the meeting, both the incumbent and former NA speakers had agreed that it was about time to put their heads together. They had proposed forming committees to sit down and hash out the thorny issues that have repeatedly driven a wedge between the two parties.