PTI submits ‘written demands’ to continue negotiations with government

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Thursday presented its written demands for negotiations with the government, seeking an investigation into the May 9 and November 24 protests and the release of all political prisoners.

PTI’s negotiation committee member, NA Opposition Leader Omar Ayub, submitted the ‘Charter of Demands’ to National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq during the third round of talks between the Centre and Imran Kan-founded party.

The much-needed talks commenced in the last week of December to bring down the prevailing country’s political tensions, but despite two rounds of negotiations, the dialogue process remained halted over the government’s demands for a written ‘Charter of Demand’ from PTI.

Following the meeting with Imran Khan in Adiala Jail on January 12, the negotiation committee finally completed the written demands which were presented to the Speaker NA today, who is overseeing the dialogues.

Today’s meeting saw the attendance of six members from the PTI side, while eight represented the government.

Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub, 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.

Whereas, the government’s team includes Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, PM’s Adviser Rana Sanaullah, Senator Irfan Siddiqui, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leaders Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Naveed Qamar, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) lawmaker Farooq Sattar and Balochistan Awami Party lawmaker Khalid Magsi.

In a three-page Charter of Demands, the PTI mentioned that the party would not continue the negotiations if the government failed to constitute two separate commissions in accordance with demands.

Apart from the formation of commissions, the party urged the federal and provincial governments to support, in accordance with the law, granting bails or suspending conviction and sentences of all political prisoners.”

PTI in its demands the release of prisoners, who have been arrested under one or more FIRs registered with respect to any event on May 9, 2023, or any event on November 24 to 27, 2024, or any other political event anywhere.

“The Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf and its allies have travelled through blood and gore, our leader Imran Khan and thousands of our supporters have faced unjustified imprisonment, the people of Pakistan have had their vote subverted and their voices and their bodies subjected to assault,” the document read.

The Charter of Demands, according to PTI, was presented as “a prerequisite to wider negotiations with respect to the restoration of the Constitution, the rule of law, and respect for the people’s mandate, free and fair elections.”

Commission on May 9, November 26

Imran Khan-founder party demanded two ‘Commissions of Inquiry’ in terms of the Commission of Inquiry Act, 2017, comprising the Chief Justice of Pakistan or three serving judges of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

The commission members will be mutually nominated by the Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) and the government within seven days and the “Commission’s conduct of the proceedings must be open to the general public as well as the media.”

In its demands, the former ruling party asked that “the first commission should be tasked to conduct an in-depth inquiry into various aspects”, including the legality of the events that led to Imran Khan’s arrest on May 9, 2023.

“The legality of the manner of the arrest and those responsible for the break-in into the premises of the Islamabad High Court by the rangers and the police must be probed,” PTI demanded.

The commission will also probe “events that unfolded following the arrest including how people reached high-security zones as well as examination of CCTV recordings.”

This commission, the PTI said, would also review instances of media censorship and restrictions on reporting on the incident. It will also review the internet shutdown and its impact.

Whereas, PTI sought the formation of a second commission which should be assigned to conduct an inquiry into the events of November 24-27 in Islamabad.

PTI asked to probe, “Was there firing of live ammunition and other forms of physical assault on the protestors in Islamabad?”

“If so, who ordered the use of live ammunition and other violent actions against the protestors? To what extent was the use of force excessive? If so, who was responsible for the excessive use of force?” the PTI document wrote.

According to the demands, the commission would probe the number of persons who died, injured, and went missing during the protest, records of hospitals tampered with, and difficulties faced by those seeking to lodge cases.