The second round of talks between the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the government has begun, with the opposition party presenting two of its main demands, namely the formation of a judicial commission to investigate the events May 9 and November 26. , as well as the release of all political prisoners, including the party’s founding president, Imran Khan.
A PTI delegation arrived at Parliament for talks, which included party figures such as Omar Ayub, Raja Nasser Abbas, Asad Qaiser, Sahibzada Hamid Raza and Salman Akram Raja, Express News reported.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur also joined the delegation soon after.
The negotiating committee is chaired by National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq.
Other key participants include Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders Irfan Siddiqui, Rana Sanaullah, and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leaders Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Naveed Qamar, as well as Aleem Khan, Farooq Sattar, Ejaz. -ul-Haq and Khalid Magsi.
During the meeting, PTI representatives reiterated their demand for the formation of a judicial commission to investigate the events surrounding the May 9 protests and the November 26 sit-ins.
The party also called for the immediate release of Imran Khan and all other detained PTI members and workers.
Asad Qaiser, speaking to the media, acknowledged that the negotiation process could be prolonged and noted that progress made in the first two meetings had been limited.
“We will listen to the government and present our case,” he said.
Earlier, PTI leaders met President Ayaz Sadiq ahead of the talks, in the presence of Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah.
In a separate meeting, PTI leaders met with the Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly, where Salman Akram Raja briefed the committee members about Imran Khan’s message and highlighted the importance of respond to the two main demands of the PTI.
Sulaiman Akram Raja also conveyed Imran Khan’s message to the committee, emphasizing the need for a judicial commission to investigate the events of May 9 and November 26 and for the release of all detained PTI leaders and workers.
Asked by reporters if the PTI was submitting its demands in writing, Omar Ayub said the party would finalize and present its written proposals after further consultations.
He also clarified that the current negotiations were taking place in Parliament and denied any possibility of “secret negotiations” elsewhere.
Imran Khan’s instructions for partying
Imran Khan, founding president of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), had earlier given a strong directive to his party to avoid any compromise on the issue of prisoner release ahead of talks with the government.
Imran’s message came during a meeting with two members of the PTI negotiating committee – lawyer Ali Zafar and Suleman Akram Raja – at Adiala prison in Rawalpindi, Express News reported.
Suleman Akram Raja, who briefly addressed the media after the meeting, reiterated the party’s position. “We remain firm in our position and remain hopeful about the success of the negotiations,” he said.
After the meeting, the two committee members left the prison to prepare for the next round of negotiations.
Imran Khan’s clear instruction to the commission was not to bow to any pressure regarding the release of prisoners, a key sticking point in the ongoing political dialogue.