ISLAMABAD: The opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Thursday sought more time from the government to consult the jailed party founding chairman Imran Khan on the final negotiation agenda, before the third meeting set for next week.
Speaking at a presser after the negotiations, the National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, who presided over the meeting, said that during the previous meeting, it had been agreed that PTI would submit its demands today – Thursday.
However, the PTI has sought more time, saying it needs more time to discuss the “conclusive list” of demands with the party’s founding chairman in jail.
“We are optimistic that we will have the third meeting next week… today’s meeting was held in an even more cordial atmosphere than before,” he added.
Showering praise on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, the NA speaker said that the chief minister tabled excellent proposals and spoke with an open heart.
“The crux of the talks is that all of the participants decided to sit together for the betterment of Pakistan such as economy, terrorism and any other issue,” he added.
He said that the PTI was supposed to present its charter of demands today, but it demanded another meeting with Imran Khan to chalk out the list of demands and the next meeting will be held next week.
Reading out the joint statement, Senator Irfan Siddiqui said the opposition presented its point of view in detail and demanded the release of Imran Khan and other PTI leaders and supporters, along with the formation of a judicial commission on the events of May 9, 2023 and November 26, 2024.
He said the party also requested that it be allowed to meet Imran Khan in Adiala Jail to consult him on the final charter of demands.
He said that as per the PTI, Imran had given his permission to begin the talks and thus his instructions were necessary for their continuation.
“The PTI said that the charter of demands will be presented in the next meeting in definitive written form, which the committee accepted,” he added.
Siddiqui said that Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar told the opposition the government had no issue with the PTI committee meeting Imran Khan for consultation on demands.
Speaking to journalists before the meeting, Omar Ayub, the opposition leader in National Assembly, who is also heading the opposition, said: “We want all under-trial political prisoners free and the constitution ofa judicial commission to investigate the mayhems of May 9, 2023 and Nov 26.”
The PTI’s negotiation team was represented by Omar Ayub, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, Asad Qaiser, Salman Akram Raja Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) chairman Raja Nasir Abbas and Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) chief Sahibzada Hamid Raza.
The government’s team includes Ishaq Dar, Rana Sanaullah, Irfan Siddiqui, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leaders Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Naveed Qamar, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) MNA Farooq Sattar and Balochistan Awami Party lawmaker Khalid Magsi.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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