Govt-PTI talks failed over K-P terror operation clauses

Sources reveal that govt had agreed to ensure Imran meetings, early hearing of pending cases

ISLAMABAD:

Before their talks broke down on Saturday, the government and the PTI had agreed on a five-point framework. This included providing legal facilities to the jailed party founder Imran Khan and his wife, ensuring an early hearing of pending cases, and allowing the couple meetings with their lawyers and family members.

Sources said the framework was prepared at the residence of PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan before the formal negotiations between the government and opposition committees.

They revealed that Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and PML-N leader Talal Chaudhry separately met Gohar, Allama Raja Nasir Abbas and Asad Qaiser at Gohar's residence before the formal talks began.

The meeting reportedly agreed that whatever was settled between the government and opposition would be put in writing. Naqvi also showed Gohar and Raja Nasir Abbas evidence of approvals obtained at the highest level regarding various issues.

Sources said the first point of the proposed framework was a meeting between the prime minister and the two opposition leaders to help resolve political matters.

Under the second point, the government and opposition would form committees to address political issues and implement decisions within a specified timeframe.

The third point dealt with facilities and legal matters concerning Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi. It was agreed that the PTI founder and his wife would be provided all legal and constitutional facilities, allowed access to their lawyers and family members, and treated in accordance with the jail manual.

It was also agreed that all pending cases would be fixed for hearing at the earliest in accordance with the requirements of justice. Sources said the government also agreed to take a sympathetic view of cases involving elderly PTI leaders such as Yasmin Rashid and Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

The fourth and most contentious point concerned the deteriorating security situation in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P). The proposed framework called for the provincial and federal governments to work jointly against terrorism, with the K-P government cooperating with the federal government under the National Action Plan.

According to the proposed framework, the constitutional option of imposing an emergency in the three merged districts of K-P could be used to control the movement of terrorists, with an operation against militants conducted under that arrangement.

Sources said if the provincial government opposed a military operation or was unwilling to conduct one, an operation could instead be carried out through the police, with the military providing full assistance to the police against terrorists.

The fifth point said that, if the negotiations succeeded, PTI would withdraw its call for the long march.

Sources said the first draft of the framework was prepared at around 9:30pm, after which Interior Minister Naqvi left to seek the necessary approval. The PPP and PML-N leaders participating in the talks also kept their respective party heads informed about the progress.

However, the draft subsequently ran into difficulties after Gohar sent it to the K-P government, which sought repeated changes to its provisions.

Sources said Allama Raja Nasir Abbas made his approval of the draft conditional on the consent of K-P Chief Minister Sohail Afridi. At the same time, Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai made a meeting with Imran Khan a precondition for approving the draft.

The PTI committee tried to convince Achakzai and informed him that the government committee was assuring a meeting with Imran Khan by Tuesday. PTI leaders argued that if the government backed away from the promised meeting with Imran, the party could revive its call for the long march.

Sources said the most significant changes, however, were made by Sohail Afridi to the provisions relating to terrorism in K-P. Afridi reportedly sought extensive changes to the clauses dealing with counterterrorism and the proposed role of the federal government and security forces in the province.