- Independent of PTI to make statements and take own actions: Sanaullah.
- “Government response to reveal its position on the judicial commission.”
- Siddiqui claims 4th PTI-govt meeting scheduled for third round.
Amid a seven-day ultimatum by incarcerated Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan to continue negotiations with the government, Prime Minister’s Advisor on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah said Tuesday that a subcommittee had been formed through government negotiations. committee to respond to the opposition party’s charter of demands.
Sanaullah made the statement after attending a session of the government negotiating committee held under the chairmanship of National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq in his office earlier in the day.
“We will give the government’s response to the opposition at the next meeting,” the prime minister’s aide told reporters in the lower house, adding that the subcommittee was considering the former ruling party’s demands.
Asked about the seven-day deadline set by former Prime Minister Khan for the judicial commission, Sanaullah said they were independent in making statements and taking their actions, but the government side would submit its “written response”.
To another question regarding the government’s plan to launch a judicial inquiry into the events of May 9 and November 26, he said the PTI would be informed about the government’s response on the judicial commission.
A day ago, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan had announced that he had received directives from the party’s founder to end the ongoing dialogue process with the government if he failed to form a judicial commission during the events of May 9, 2023 and November 26, 2024.
Senator Irfan Siddiqui, spokesperson of the government’s negotiating committee, said participants in today’s session did not take the final decision to constitute a judicial commission on the request of the PTI.
He said the meeting, attended by all representatives of the seven parties of the ruling coalition, reviewed the charter of demands of the PTI, but no opinion was established on it.
“Today’s meeting was positive and comprehensive… such meetings will continue,” he said, adding that another meeting was scheduled for Wednesday (tomorrow) to deliberate on the party’s demands for opposition.
He reiterated that the government will give its response to the former ruling party after seven working days.
“In our opinion, a fourth meeting was planned at the end of the third,” he said.
His statement came after the PTI chairman ordered Gohar not to hold a fourth meeting with the coalition government if the judicial commission was not formed as per the party’s demand.
Meanwhile, the PTI chairman, speaking to reporters earlier today outside parliament, reiterated that the dialogue process would not move forward if neither of their two demands were accepted by the Treasury.
“Dialogue is a democratic process that must take place,” Gohar said, urging the government to negotiate seriously and sincerely to end the differences through talks.
To a question regarding the return of Donald Trump to the White House, the PTI MP considered that the new American president was the choice of American citizens.
He categorically rejected allegations against the jailed former prime minister and his party seeking foreign support to rid themselves of their legal problems.
PTI-government talks
It is worth noting that the former ruling party is currently in talks with the federal government over its demands, which include the release of its founder, Imran, and other PTI leaders and supporters from jail.
The party had presented its demands in writing to the government negotiating committee, demanding investigations into the events of May 9, 2023 and November 26, 2024, as well as the release of “political prisoners”, during a third round of talks held on January 16. .
The PTI “Charter of Demands”, available with Geo Newsalso mentions that if the government fails to form two separate commissions on violent events, the party will not continue negotiations.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had formed a committee comprising members of all ruling parties to examine the demands submitted by the main opposition party. This development was confirmed last week by the Prime Minister’s aide for political affairs, Rana Sanaullah.