Govt asks PTI to present charter of demands in next round of talks

The first round of high-stakes negotiations between the government and the main opposition party, the PTI, concluded in Islamabad on Monday with agreement to hold next round of parleys on January 2 in which the Tehrik-e-Insaaf was asked to present its charter of demands, reported 24NEwsHD TV channel.

Four PTI leaders out of seven-member committee were absent during the first round of in-camera talks at the Parliament House which was chaired by National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq. 

The next meeting is scheduled to take place on January 2, during which Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will present its charter of demands and the government side respond to it.

During the talks on Monday, PTI representatives demanded the release of all prisoners, including party’s founder and former premier Imran Khan.

After the meeting, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq expressed gratitude for the participation of both the government and the opposition leaders.

The Speaker said, “The opposition will present its charter of demands in the next round on January 2.”

He further added, “Today’s discussions were very positive, touching upon the past, present, and future. The environment was excellent, and I am hopeful that together we can work for Pakistan’s betterment and strengthening democracy. Media should also play a constructive role.”

Press release after talks

The government and the PTI negotiation committees have agreed to continue the dialogue process, started today.

According to the press release, the first meeting of both the dialogues committees was held at the Parliament House in Islamabad with Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq in the chair. 

The government committee comprised Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Senator Irfan Siddiqui, Rana Sanaullah, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Syed Naveed Qamar, Abdul Aleem Khan and Dr Farooq Sattar.

The PTI coalition committee was represented by Asad Qaiser, Raja Nasir Abbas and Sahibzada Hamid Raza.

PTI leader Asad Qaiser apprised the meeting that the other committee members couldn't attend this emergency session due to legal issues or being out of the country.

Both the committees expressed good wishes for each other and declared today's meeting as a positive move.

Describing the Parliament as an important forum to resolve issues, they said the process of dialogue should continue.

In today's session, the opposition committee presented an initial layout of its demands. It was decided that the opposition will submit its charter of demands in writing at the next meeting to be held on 2nd of the next month.

The meeting also offered fateha for the departed souls of martyred, who sacrificed their lives in the war against terrorism. It also expressed the resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with the nation for the complete elimination of terrorism from the country.

The committee members thanked the Speaker for his efforts to get started the dialogue process between the government and the opposition.

--Government representatives’ stance--

Talking to media persons after the meeting, government representatives have said they will share their stance after reviewing the opposition’s charter.

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar expressed frustration over social media interference, saying, “Whenever the government initiates dialogue, tweets disrupt the process.” PTI leader Asad Qaiser concurred, adding, “We discussed the tweet issue in the party's core committee.”

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, addressing the media, noted that the negotiations covered a wide range of issues without any preconditions. “A middle ground must be found, and what has been discussed today needs to be implemented,” he said.

Sanaullah said, “All the things that are being discussed in the meeting are not new. Similar challenges existed between the PPP and us before the Charter of Democracy was signed. Today, the need for both a Charter of Democracy and a Charter of Economy is more pressing than ever,” he remarked.

He concluded by stressing that Pakistan’s parliamentary democratic system can only thrive through political dialogue, reiterating the government’s call for collaboration to address national challenges.

PTI demands release of Imran Khan

PTI leader Asad Qaiser has said that today the party, in its talks with the government, demanded the release of all its leaders and workers, including former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan, from jail besides the constitution of a judicial commission. 

Talking to the media after the meeting between the government and PTI committees was over, Asad said the government had agreed to the party’s demand that the party leaders be allowed unhindered access to Imran Khan, who is currently incarcerated at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.    

However, he said that formal talks with the government would begin on January 2, 2025. “On that day, we will present to the government a charter of demands.” 

Hamid Raza says formation of judicial commission sought

Later talking to the media, Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) leader Sahibzada Hamid Raza said that the PTI had not demanded anything from the government which was unconstitutional. “We are not seeking any relief from the government. All we want the government to do is to form a judicial commission so that an investigation could be held into the May 9 and November 26 incidents,” Raza said. 

The SIC leader went on to say that the PTI wanted the release of its all prisoners. “However, the release of prisoners minus Imran is not acceptable to us,” he said categorically.

“The government is fully empowered. Therefore, we urge it to meet our demands.”  

Earlier, marking a potential step toward reducing the ongoing political tension, the first round of negotiations between the government and PTI started at the Parliament House but half of the PTI dialogue team stayed away.

The government’s negotiation committee included Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) leaders Ishaq Dar, Rana Sanaullah, and Irfan Siddiqui, along with representatives from coalition partners Abdul Aleem Khan, Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, and Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leaders Raja Pervez Ashraf and Syed Naveed Qamar.

The seven-member PTI team which was announced earlier comprised of Omar Ayub Khan, KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, Asad Qaiser, Hamid Khan, Salman Akram Raja, Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, and Sahibzada Hamid Raza.

Only three members of the PTI’s team participated in the first round of talks. These were Asad Qaiser, Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, and Sahibzada Hamid Raza. 

According to the TV channel report, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan, KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, Hamid Khan, and Salman Akram Raja did not reach the Parliament House on Monday for attending the talks.

Before the negotiations, security personnel have cleared the venue, ensuring a smooth start to the high-level talks in Committee Room 5 of the Parliament House in Islamabad.
National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq presided over the talks, saying his role was only to facilitate the talks. "Both sides will make their own decisions," he added.

PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui expressed optimism, stating the government is approaching the talks with sincerity and a focus on the well-being of the nation.

Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui from MQM-P cautioned against setting preconditions for talks, emphasising the importance of mutual understanding.

Sahibzada Hamid Raza stated that PTI is entering the negotiations with an open mind but will not compromise on its agenda. He emphasised the demand for the release of political prisoners, including PTI’s founder, and forming a judicial commission.

Allama Raja Nasir Abbas urged all parties to prioritise Pakistan’s interests, highlighting that the establishment is playing a key role in facilitating the dialogue. 

Reporter: Tayyab Saif