On Sunday, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) negotiation committee confirmed its readiness to engage in the third round of talks with the government. This announcement came after PTI leaders met with Imran Khan in Adiala Jail under a “controlled environment.”
During a joint press conference, Sahibzada Hamid Raza, head of the Sunni Ittihad Council (SIC) and spokesperson for the PTI negotiation team, emphasized that while they were open to continuing discussions, they called on the government to create a “conducive environment” by addressing their key demands beforehand.
Flanked by Opposition Leader Omar Ayub Khan and former National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, Raza reiterated that the government must make progress on crucial issues for the talks to move forward. He underscored the necessity of establishing an “impartial judicial commission” headed by a senior Supreme Court judge to investigate the incidents of May 9, 2023, and November 26, 2024.
“No progress has been made in the negotiations so far,” Raza stated, adding that the talks would not continue beyond the January 31 deadline if there was no movement on PTI’s demands. He also highlighted that the release of political prisoners and the formation of the judicial commission were critical conditions for PTI’s participation.
In an assertive demand, Raza challenged the government to present CCTV footage if it held PTI responsible for the May 9 violence.
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The negotiation team’s meeting with Imran Khan, which had been approved late on Saturday night, was held in a “controlled environment.” Raza explained that two members of the PTI committee, Hamid Khan and Salman Akram Raja, could not attend the meeting on time due to severe fog in the region.
Raza also addressed concerns over the £190 million corruption case, acknowledging potential tensions but stating that Imran Khan had instructed the team to ensure that the ruling did not affect the negotiations.
Highlighting the practicality of their demands, Raza reiterated that they were “reasonable and achievable.”
In previous rounds of negotiations, PTI had requested additional time to consult with Imran Khan and finalize their list of demands. The second round, which took place last week in Islamabad, concluded with PTI asking the government to schedule another meeting after they had access to their leader. The first round of talks, held on December 23, saw the government requesting PTI to present its demands in the next session.
