Former PTI leaders ask PM to release jailed party leaders

ISLAMABAD: A group of former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders, who formed the National Dialogue Committee (NDC) to promote political reconciliation, have formally approached Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and demanded the release of senior party leaders imprisoned in Kot Lakhpat Jail on parole.

The committee maintains that the release of these leaders is essential for the leadership, credibility and effectiveness of the proposed dialogue process.

In a letter sent to the prime minister on December 23, the committee welcomed the offer of talks with the opposition, especially the PTI, and termed it a “golden opportunity” in the context of the growing political, economic and institutional crises facing the country.

Notably, the letter does not mention PTI founder Imran Khan, but rather focuses on the fact that only the senior party leadership outside Adiala Jail can play an effective role in initiating and sustaining the dialogue process.

The most important demand in the letter is the release of high-profile PTI leaders imprisoned in Kot Lakhpat Jail, including Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Dr. Yasmin Rashid, Omar Sarfaraz Cheema, Mian Mahmood Rashid and former Senator Ijaz Chaudhry.

The committee says that these leaders should be released on parole so that they can effectively lead and participate in the negotiation process.

According to the letter, the committee believes that the success of the negotiations depends on practical confidence-building measures. The release of imprisoned PTI leaders will create a positive and trust-based environment and help restore mutual trust between different political parties.

The National Dialogue Committee has appealed to all political parties to transcend vested interests and play a role in reaching a consensus on the Charter of Democracy and the Charter of Economy, which are indispensable for long-term political stability and economic recovery.