Pakistan: Imran Khan seeks meeting with PTI negotiation team before talks with government

Imran Khan

Incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan stated on Tuesday that he needs to meet with his party's negotiation team to fully understand the issues before the planned talks between the government and his party for meaningful results, as reported by Dawn.

Imran Khan currently detained after being convicted in several cases, said that understanding the core issues would be crucial for him to engage in the negotiation process effectively. The PTI's fraught relationship with both the government and the establishment has worsened since Imran's arrest last year, leading to numerous protests, many of which turned violent due to state repression.

The political climate surrounding PTI has become increasingly tense since its "Final Call" power show last month, which sparked renewed calls to ban the party. The party also accused the government of engaging in a "malicious campaign" following the alleged deaths of a dozen PTI supporters, claims the government officially denies. Despite this, after forming a five-member committee to engage in dialogue with the government, PTI lawmakers softened their stance in parliament. Subsequently, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, following National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq's recommendation, established a committee with members from the ruling coalition. The first meeting between the two committees took place yesterday, marking the beginning of long-awaited talks aimed at easing political tensions.

In a post on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, Imran Khan acknowledged the efforts of his party's negotiation committee, describing it as a "good thing." However, he stressed the importance of him meeting with the committee to gain a thorough understanding of the issues, which would help make the negotiations more impactful. Imran also appointed MNA Sahibzada Mohammad Hamid Raza as the official spokesperson for PTI's negotiation committee.

Imran outlined two key demands from the government: the release of under-trial political prisoners and the creation of a judicial commission consisting of senior judges to investigate the incidents of May 9 and November 26, 2023. He stated that if the government agreed to meet these demands, the PTI would postpone its civil disobedience movement.

Imran, however, voiced concerns that the government might ignore their demand for a judicial commission. Additionally, Imran rejected the sentences handed out by military courts to 25 individuals convicted for their involvement in violent attacks on military installations during the May 9 riots, condemning the verdicts as politically motivated.

Meanwhile, speaking to the media outside Adiala Jail after a meeting with Imran, PTI Chairman Gohar Khan revealed that the former premier had called for a time frame for the negotiations, expecting progress on the party's demands within a specific period.

Gohar stated, "We have said before that some progress should be made on our two major demands within the time frame that we are expecting." The PTI chairman confirmed that the party would present a charter of demands in the next meeting with the government. He also indicated that the negotiation committee was working towards meeting with Imran to ensure his participation in the discussions, Dawn reported.

Gohar Khan further expressed optimism that a solution to all issues could be reached, stating that Imran Khan hoped for a fair trial in all of his cases, which he argued were politically motivated. He added that although not all committee members attended the meeting yesterday, they would be present in the next round of discussions and would submit their demands in writing.

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