Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Sahibzada Hamid Raza said on Friday that negotiations would be based on equal footing.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Raza said that his people had lost their homes, families, and businesses, and that they had nothing left to fear, implying they were not being coerced.

He explained that they were seeking negotiations for positive stability but would not forget the sacrifices of their martyred workers.

He also claimed that a state of martial law was effectively in place in Punjab.

Former Speaker Asad Qaiser stated that they were not begging for negotiations. He also reported that Shehbaz Sharif had said he wanted a charter of economy.

Omar Ayub Khan, announced today that the party is inviting its supporters to a gathering on December 15. He further revealed that Mahmoud Achakzai and Senator Raja Nasir will be attending a condolence meeting on the same day.

Thaw developing as contact established between govt and PTI

The PTI has expanded its negotiation team with the addition of Senator Hamid Khan and Allama Raja Nasir Abbas. Ayub stated that the party’s key demands include a judicial inquiry into the Islamabad incident and the formation of a judicial commission to investigate the events of May 9th. He highlighted that the PTI has approximately 5,000 imprisoned members and countless injured following the incidents.

Ayub emphasized that if their conditions for negotiations are not met, the party will proceed with a civil disobedience movement. He reiterated the party’s commitment to peaceful and democratic means, stating, “We are peaceful citizens and democratic people.”

He also raised concerns about the use of US-donated weaponry against PTI supporters, questioning who fired the shots and why. The statement underscores the PTI’s determination to seek accountability for the events and secure the release of its imprisoned members. The party’s next steps will depend heavily on the government’s response to their demands.