ISLAMABAD: Terming the ongoing talks with the government “an exercise in futility,” the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday announced that the party would not attend the fourth round of talks with the ruling coalition.

Speaking at a presser, along with other members of PTI’s negotiation committee, the head of the team, Omar Ayub, said it point-blank: no judicial commission, no talks.

The statement from the PTI negotiation committee came shortly after Senator Irfan Siddiqui, the spokesman for the government’s negotiation panel, declared that the fourth round of talks between the ruling alliance and PTI would be held on January 28.

Siddiqui also said that the government is yet to decide about the formation of separate judicial commissions to hold a probe into the May 9, 2023, and November 28, 2024, events – the two key demands put forth by PTI in its charter of demands submitted to the government’s committee last week.

During the third round of talks, the PTI had submitted its charter of demands, the top of which was formation of two separate judicial commissions, about which the government showed its inability, prompting the PTI to boycott any further engagement with the government through talks.

Ayub said that the formation of judicial commissions is necessary before the fourth round of talks, adding that the PTI would not sit at the negotiating table with the government anymore until the formation of the judicial commissions. “The PTI founder has issued clear instructions in this regard. So, we are not going to attend any further meeting as the government is reluctant about formation of the judicial commission,” declared Ayub. On the other hand, following a meeting of the government’s sub-committee, tasked to review PTI’s charter of demands, Senator Siddiqui said that the government would hand over the government’s written response to PTI on January 28. The sub-committee would also meet on Thursday and Friday as well, he said, adding that the consultation process will continue.

Ejaz ul Haq, a member of the government’s team, said that the meeting discussed the PTI’s charter of demands and legal matters, adding, “Our response is under process.”

The sources privy to the meeting told Business Recorder that the sub-committee would submit its response to National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, following which he would convene a meeting of the negotiation committees from both sides.

The sources said that the Law and Justice Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar has categorically told the sub-committee that the formation of a commission to probe into the May 9 events is next to impossible as all the cases against PTI workers are either in the final stages or have been announced by military courts.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025