The fourth round of negotiations between the government and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf concluded on Tuesday after jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s party members did not show up for the meeting.

“The government’s committee led by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar appeared for the meeting in full strength today,” National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq told reporters.

“We waited for almost 45 minutes for the opposition friends will come. We also sent messages to the secretary to the leader of the opposition in the NA. We received a reply that they might not come.”

Last month, the PTI committee refused to attend the meeting scheduled for January 28 because of the government’s failure to meet its demands.

Khan’s party leaders sought the formation of a judicial commission over the May 9 and November 26 events and the release of “political prisoners”. The PTI believes that the PML-N’s apparent failure proved that it was “powerless” to fulfil demands.

In the last meeting, they submitted a written document ‘Charter of Demands’ to the government as per the request and reiterated that further progress depended on any development on the request.

NA Speaker Sadiq went on to add that hope was that talks were the only way to improve matters. “When Gohar Sb requested me, PM Shehbaz formed the committee.”

There was no reason for continuing this meeting since the PTI did not attend the meeting. “I still hope that negotiations way should be opted. When talks are held, conditions are not made and sit to decide whether it was decided or not.”

When asked, Sadiq said that the negotiation committee would remain and added that it would take two to tango to proceed further. “We will keep it and we are not dissolving it.”

‘Disappointed’ Dar says government had a response to PTI requests

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said that he was disappointed by the development, saying that the government members came for the meeting with “some response” to the PTI’s request.

“I wish they [PTI leaders] had come. We have a positive thinking,” he said and added that matters are resolved through legal matters.

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“I think it is not an appropriate attitude as they have made a decision. I still hope that the opposition will contact the NA speaker and we will sit on a new date. We will respond to their questions and decide a way forward.”

Dar reiterated that it was not appropriate to give a one-sided statement.

In response to a question, the DPM said that they would have shared a written response if the PTI leaders had shown up for the meeting. “We will not leak information prior to the meeting like them.”

While citing the Islamabad IGP, NA Speaker Sadiq said that Sunni Ittehad Council Chairman Sahibzada Hamid Raza house was not raided.