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PTI negotiation team meets Imran in jail: Talks to stall if judicial commission not set up: SIC chief

Shakeel Anjum & Mumtaz Alvi
Monday, Jan 13, 2025

RAWALPINDI: Members of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) negotiation team met Imran Khan in Adiala jail on Sunday in a critical move to advance the stalled talks with the government.

The delegation included Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, National Assembly’s Opposition Leader Omar Ayub, former NA Speaker Asad Qaiser, Sunni Ittehad Council chief Sahibzada Hamid Raza, and Senator Allama Raja Nasir Abbas from Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen. The meeting began with a one-on-one discussion between CM Gandapur and Khan, lasting an hour.

Notably, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja and senior leader Hamid Khan, both part of the negotiation team, were not present during the session.

The meeting followed a request from PTI leaders Omar Ayub and Asad Qaiser during a telephonic conversation with National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq. Sadiq facilitated communication and clarified that arranging the meeting was the government’s responsibility.

The meeting is seen as a pivotal moment in the negotiation process. The PTI has argued that consulting Khan was essential to formalise its charter of demands. This step was necessary to proceed to the third round of talks, expected to take place on Monday (today) or Tuesday (tomorrow).

The talks have faced delays since the second session on January 2, 2025. The PTI’s inability to consult Khan had emerged as a major obstacle, with the party insisting on his input before submitting written demands. The deadlock was further attributed to Speaker Sadiq’s foreign visit, although he later stated the decision rested with the government and its allies.

The PTI’s demands included the release of Imran Khan and detained PTI workers, formation of a judicial commission to investigate the May 9 riots and November 26 protests. The party has set January 31 as the deadline for reaching a resolution, warning that talks could collapse without progress on their demands.

SIC chief Sahibzada Hamid Raza emphasized the importance of forming a judicial commission, warning that the fourth round of talks was unlikely without this demand being met.

Stressing that the release of political prisoners and the formation of a judicial commission were integral to their demands, Raza said that PTI would submit their two demands in writing to the government’s team during the upcoming session.

Senator Allama Raja Nasir Abbas expressed the hope for a surveillance-free meeting, stating, “It is important to meet Khan now and there should be a suitable place and time for discussions.”

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar also echoed these sentiments, highlighting that the negotiations could not advance without the delegation’s meeting with Khan.

The PTI is expected to present its final demands during the third session. The government, meanwhile, has requested an extension of the January 31 deadline to allow more time for deliberations.

The outcome of this meeting is expected to significantly influence the trajectory of talks, with both sides preparing for what could be the decisive third round of negotiations.

Meanwhile, spokesperson for the PTI negotiation committee, Sahibzada Hamid Raza, along with other visitors, told the media outside the jail that they were ready for the third round of negotiations. However, he emphasized that the government should come to the dialogue after finalising the judicial commission.

“If the judicial commission is not formed by January 31, negotiations will not proceed. The PTI committee is ready for the third round of negotiations and will provide two demands in writing to the government panel,” he noted. “We want the atrocities to be remedied and those responsible to be determined. So a judicial commission should be formed on the incidents of May 9 and November 26.”

He clarified that Imran Khan has not talked about his release, however, the trials of their prisoners have been completed but they are being deprived of their legal rights.

Hamid Raza insisted that the ball was now in the government’s court to bring the negotiations to the final conclusion. He reiterated, “Our date for completing the negotiations is January 31.” In response to a question, he said that the decision to extend the deadline will be taken by the founder chairman, as they do not have the authority to extend the deadline for negotiations.

He claimed that a detailed meeting was held with the founder of PTI but even today the meeting was held in a controlled environment.

Outside the Adiala jail, a journalist asked Hamid Raza whether Imran Khan would sign the formal NRO today and in reply the PTI committee spokesman inquired whether he (questioner) had any information about the NRO. “Have you seen the NRO? Share with me, the government is not asking for NRO nor Imran Khan is asking for it,” he retorted.

A day earlier, Omar Ayub and Asad Qaiser had contacted National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq on telephone. Both leaders had reportedly formally requested a meeting with the founder of negotiation committee. Ayaz Sadiq had informed the government about the message of both leaders.