PTI presents ‘Charter of Demands’ to govt: Ayaz Sadiq

National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq announced on Thursday that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) presented its demands to the government in written form.

Speaking to the media today alongside PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui, the speaker said that the third round of negotiations between the two began earlier and that the talks were heading in the “right direction”.

The speaker said that Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub presented the Charter of Demands to him which were then distributed to the members.

Third round of govt-PTI talks to begin today

Reading out a statement, Siddiqui said that the PTI has demanded to meet their party founder Imran Khan in Adiala Jail in a transparent and open atmosphere. The government committee, in response, assured that it would formally address the opposition’s demands within seven days, the senator added.

Opposition leader, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, PTI MNA Asad Qaiser, Sunni Ittehad Council chief Hamid Raza, Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen chief Senator Raja Nasir Abbas Jafri and PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja attended from the opposition.

Meanwhile, those representing the government included Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, PML-N Senator Irfan, PPP MNAs Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Naveed Qamar, prime minister’s political aide Rana Sanaullah, and MQM-P MNA Dr Farooq Sattar.

Charter of Demands

The opposition put forward two main demands- the formation of two judicial commissions, and “support” of the federal and provincial governments in bail, sentence suspensions, and acquittals of “political prisoners” identified by the PTI.

The opposition called upon the government to “set up two Commissions of Inquiry in terms of the Commission of Inquiry Act, 2017”.

They demanded that these commissions comprise the chief justice of Pakistan or three serving Supreme Court judges, mutually nominated by the PTI and the government within seven days.

The charter includes demands for the immediate release of political prisoners, especially those arrested in connection with the May 9 events, and a review of multiple FIRs registered against individuals involved in the protests.

PM forms committee to review PTI demands: Sanaullah

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has formed a committee comprising members from all ruling parties to review the ‘charter of demands’ submitted by the PTI committee during the third round of negotiations.

This was stated by the PM’s aide on political affairs Rana Sanaullah on Thursday.

“We will prepare a response to the opposition’s demands, and it will be final,” Rana Sanaullah said, while addressing a press conference in Islamabad, alongside negotiation committee head Senator Irfan Siddiqui.

PTI has presented two demands – the formation of two judicial commissions, and “support” of the federal and provincial governments in bail, sentence suspensions, and acquittals of “political prisoners” identified by the PTI.

The opposition also urged the government to “set up two Commissions of Inquiry in terms of the Commission of Inquiry Act, 2017”.

Referring to the demands, Rana Sanaullah noted that the PTI had backtracked on its earlier demand for the return of the mandate.

“It was alleged that all cases were politically motivated, but no specifics were provided. Not even the FIR number of any case was mentioned, and nothing was said regarding the workers involved,” the PM’s Advisor said.

Regarding the formation of a judicial commission, Sanaullah said the cases pertaining to Imran Khan’s arrest were pending in the high courts.

He noted that cases against individuals are currently under trial in the Anti-Terrorism Court, while cases related to damages caused to military properties were pending in military courts.

“What role can a commission play in matters that are either closed or already under trial?”

He added that all arrests had been documented transparently, detailing where and how individuals were apprehended.