Imran Khan reiterates Judicial Commission demand on Nov 26 and May 9 incidents: Sahibzada Hamid

PTI Negotiation Committee member Sahibzada Hamid Raza has said that negotiation committee meeting with Imran Khan was held in controlled environment and PTI founder gave instructions about talks, reported 24NewsHDTV channel. 

Talking to media after holding meeting with Imran Khan, Sahibzada Hamid Raza said PTI founder has repeated his demand again today that a commission should be formed to investigate November 26 and May 9 incidents. He said Imran Khan demanded judicial commission under the chair of the most senior judge of the Supreme Court to probe the incidents. 

He said “we will inform the government that PTI was ready for the third round of talks. He said the government committee will be told to make preparation for the formation of Judicial Commission on November 26 and May 9 incidents”. 

Sahibzada Hamid Raza said PTI Negotiation Committee has put forward two demands before the government. The first is the formation of Judicial Commission for inquiry on November 26 and May 9 incidents and release of PTI workers. 

He said PTI was of the view if the judicial commission is not formed, the negotiations could not take place. Ge said PTI committee was told about meeting late night therefore two committee members could not attend the meeting due to fog. He said the deadline for negotiations is January 31. 

Sahibzada Hamid Raza  said “Our deadline is January 31 only Imran Khan can extend the deadline.” He said Imran Khan told them if the government makes headway in the formation of judicial commission then PTI will sit in the talks.

Sahibzada Hamid Raza said Khan Sahib talked about the release of imprisoned PTI workers and Imran Khan did not talk about his own release.” 

He said PTI doesn’t demand Executive Order, or NRO. Sahibzada Hamid Raza said, “PTI founder will face all the cases and come out of the jail”. Sahibzada Hamid Raza  said 190 million pound reference decision will not give good message and not cause good name to the country. After the decision of the 190 million pound reference, there will be bitterness in our attitudes in the negotiation process. He said Omar Ayub has been given full authority by Imran Khan and he will sign the charter of demand. 

Earlier, PTI negotiation committee’s meeting with former prime minister Imran Khan has ended and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur’s security staff has been asked to get ready for departure. 

The federal government allowed PTI negotiation committee to meet PTI founder Imran Khan at Rawalpindi's Adiala jail on Sunday. The meeting took place afternoon as the delegation was scheduled to visit Adiala Jail at 2pm. 

Sources said before the negotiation committee meeting, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM Gandapur held one-on-one meeting with Imran Khan.

This development follows contact between the PTI negotiation committee and National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, which has raised hopes for the meeting with Imran Khan. After PTI leader Omar Ayub sent a message regarding the negotiations, Speaker Ayaz Sadiq reached out to PTI leaders to discuss the matter. Sources further revealed that Omar Ayub had messaged Speaker Ayaz Sadiq earlier in the day. During the interaction, Speaker Ayaz Sadiq clarified that facilitating a meeting with the PTI founder was not his responsibility, though he assured efforts to arrange the meeting. After meeting Imran Khan in jail, the PTI negotiation team plans to present their written demands.

The first two rounds of negotiations between the government and PTI have already taken place, with the third round scheduled for Wednesday. 

Commenting on the meeting, Advocate Faisal Chaudhry said that although it was a good development, still it was high time both parties moved ahead from here since it was in the interest of the country. 

He asserted that the PTI founder had the right to do politics. "Only if the government softens its stance that things could move forward. If it does not do so, then the talks will fail."

A few hours earlier, 24News TV channel reported that after much delay, which had led to fears that talks between the government and the PTI had stalled for good, the PTI’s negotiation committee will finally meet the former prime minister at Adiala Jail at 2:30 in the afternoon today.

Advocate Faisal Chaudhry said that the committee was ready to meet the former prime minister. “As soon as we receive the green signal, we will reach the jail.”

It is pertinent to mention here that National Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has played a significant role in facilitating talks between the two sides. According to the spokesman for the NA Secretariat, the speaker on several occasions advised both the government and the PTI to engage in a constructive dialogue. 

The talks between the government and the PTI stalled after the first two rounds following the latter's insistence on meeting with Imran prior to the third round of negotiations and the former refraining from giving a go-ahead signal for that. 

On Saturday, informing that neither the government nor the PTI had approached him for convening their negotiating teams meeting, National Assembly (NA) Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq had said that he was ready to convene the meeting provided the parties asked him to do so. 

He, however, made it clear that it was not he, who had to arrange a meeting of the PTI’s negotiators with the former prime minister and the party founder Imran Khan, but the government.  

Sadiq went on to say that he told PTI leader Asad Qaiser during a telephonic conversation with him on January 4 that he had conveyed to the government the party’s demand for a meeting with Imran. “Qaiser and other party leaders can also directly meet Rana Sanaullah and others in the government.” 

A few days earlier, Sadiq had regretted the allegations made by some PTI leaders and members of the National Assembly (MNAs) regarding his role in the negotiation process. In his statement, he clarified that his role in the government-opposition negotiations was purely that of a facilitator, and arranging a meeting with the party founder is neither his mandate nor his responsibility. 

He expressed disappointment over claims that attempts to contact the speaker’s office were not positively received.

He reiterated that his doors have always been open to everyone, and he has never refused a meeting with any member of the National Assembly.

Furthermore, he stated that if PTI leaders believe that he should distance himself from the negotiation process, then he was willing to consider such a proposal to uphold the neutrality and integrity of the Speaker’s office. 

NA Speaker also emphasized that his visit to abroad does not hinder his ability to arrange meetings.

He stated that he is always ready to facilitate such arrangements upon the request of the government and opposition. 

Reporters: Irshad Qureshi and Usman Khan