After meeting jailed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan in a “controlled environment”, the former ruling party on Sunday announced it was ready for a third round of talks with the government. tension in the country.
Addressing a joint press conference along with senior PTI leaders Umar Ayub Khan and Asad Qaiser, Sunni Unity Council (SIC) chief Sahibzada Hamid Raza, who also serves as the spokesperson of the negotiating team, said the government He urged him to make progress on their demands in the future. A period of dialogue
He demanded the government to set up an “impartial judicial commission” headed by a senior judge of the Supreme Court to investigate the incidents of May 9, 2023 and November 26, 2024.
Riots erupted across the country on May 9 following the arrest of the ousted prime minister in a £190 million settlement case, leading to the arrest of hundreds of PTI workers and others for their alleged involvement in violent incidents and attacks on military installations. Senior leaders were detained.
During the unrest, protesters targeted civil and military sites, including Jinnah House and the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi. The army condemned the observance of May 9 as a “black day” and announced plans to prosecute those involved under the Army Act.
In November, Khan issued an “ultimate call” for protests, demanding the restoration of the PTI’s “stolen mandate”, the replacement of the 26th Amendment, and the release of political prisoners.
The PTI claims that at least 13 of its workers were killed and 1,000 others arrested during the protests. However, the government has strongly denied using live ammunition against the protesters.
Raza said today while talking to journalists that we are ready for the third round of negotiations. He urged the government’s negotiating team to work on the formation of a judicial commission before the next round of negotiations.
He said that there has been no progress in the talks so far, stressing the need for the government to implement their demands, especially the establishment of a judicial commission.
Stressing that the release of political prisoners and the formation of a judicial commission were integral to their demands, Raza said that the PTI would present its two demands in writing to the government team during the upcoming meeting.
Raza warned that if the judicial commission is not formed and the former ruling party does not extend the deadline for negotiations with the government beyond January 31, the talks will not continue.
“Show CCTV footage if you [the government] Believe PTI is responsible. [for the May 9 violence]” he demanded.
To a question, Raza said his meeting with Khan took place in a “controlled environment” and he was allowed to sit late on Saturday night.
To another question, he explained that two of his team members Hamid Khan and Salman Akram Raja could not reach the venue on time due to fog in the area.
Raza also remarked that the verdict in the £190 million corruption case could create bitterness, but Khan had instructed him to ensure that the verdict did not disrupt the ongoing negotiation process.
Stressing the need for practical steps, he said their demands were “reasonable and feasible”.