The first round of talks between the government and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) took place today under the chairmanship of National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq. The government has requested PTI to submit its charter of demands in the next session.

Negotiating teams from both sides met in the committee room. The PTI delegation comprised Asad Qaiser, Sahibzada Hamid Raza, and Raja Nasir Abbas.

The government’s delegation included Ishaq Dar, Rana Sanaullah, Irfan Siddiqui, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Alim Khan, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, and Naveed Qamar.

The meeting began with prayers for the success of the talks.

Speaker Sadiq stated that the dialogue between the government and the opposition is auspicious, highlighting that negotiation is a hallmark of democracy. He emphasized that collaborative efforts between the government and opposition strengthen democracy, and that dialogue is the only solution to political issues.

He further stated that the parliament is a representative body of 240 million people, and that the public has high hopes for its ability to resolve issues. He stressed the importance of finding solutions to the people’s problems, highlighting that Pakistan’s economic progress is intrinsically linked to political stability. He underscored that the current situation demands the promotion of political harmony.

What happened in the meeting?

During the negotiating committee meeting, government member Ishaq Dar commented that whenever the government initiates talks, a tweet appears from the other side, seemingly referring to counter-productive statements or actions undermining the dialogue.

Asad Qaiser responded by agreeing, stating that the PTI’s core committee had discussed this issue extensively and condemned such actions.

Following this exchange, both sides agreed to continue the negotiations. Sources indicate that the next meeting of the negotiating committee will be held on January 2nd, at which point the opposition will be asked to present their charter of demands.

Official statement

Following the first meeting of the negotiating committees between the government and the opposition, Senator Irfan Siddiqui read a statement to the media.

The statement noted that the first session of negotiations took place at the Parliament House and that the negotiating committees expressed their gratitude to the Speaker of the National Assembly. It further stated that both sides agreed that negotiations should continue, and both committees described the talks as a positive development.

The statement also indicated that the opposition committee will submit its demands and conditions in writing. According to Senator Siddiqui, Asad Qaiser informed the meeting that some members were unable to attend.

PTI sticks to its core demands during talks with government

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf stuck to its core demands during talks with the government committee on Monday as the two sides sat together for the first time since February 8 elections.

“The PTI presented its stance robustly. We demanded the release of all prisoners, including PTI founder Imran Khan, and the formation of a judicial commission on May 9 and November 26,” PTI leader Asad Qaiser told reporters after the meeting.

He confirmed that the party would present a “charter of demand” on January 2 when the two committees would meet for the second time.

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Sunni Ittehad Council leader Sahibzada Hamid Raza emphasised that the PTI did not make any unconstitutional demands. “We are not asking for relief; rather, we seek fact-finding. We want inquiries into the incidents of May 9 and November 26, focusing on the release of political prisoners,” he stated.

He added that the government holds all the necessary powers to address their demands. “We have also presented our request for the establishment of a judicial commission to the committee. The release of political prisoners is unacceptable without the PTI founder.”

When asked if all their demands would be met, Raza replied, “This is just the beginning; how can I predict the outcome?”