Judicial Commission
ISLAMABAD: The federal government has decided not to respond to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) charter of demands before January 28, the date set for the next round of negotiations.
PTI, however, continues to insist on the formation of a judicial commission as a prerequisite for the continuity of talks.
On Sunday, PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui, the spokesperson for the government’s negotiation committee, stated that no response would be provided before the agreed-upon seven-day deadline. He clarified, “We will address PTI’s demand for a judicial commission in the next round of talks.”
The ongoing negotiations, facilitated by National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, aim to ease political tensions in the country but now face significant uncertainty.
While PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan initially announced the suspension of talks due to the government’s “non-cooperation” and delay in forming the commission, he later softened his stance, suggesting the negotiations had not been fully abandoned.
PTI’s primary demand revolves around establishing a judicial commission to investigate two critical incidents: the violent protests of May 9, 2023, and the crackdown on PTI protesters in Islamabad on November 26.
Although three rounds of talks have been held so far, the process stalled after PTI conditioned its participation in future talks on the immediate formation of the commission.
Adding to the tension, PTI founder Imran Khan reportedly demanded a meeting with his party’s negotiation committee to determine their final position on the matter. Sources suggest the party’s official stance would be announced following this internal meeting.
Irfan Siddiqui criticized PTI’s abrupt suspension of the talks, calling it a surprise even for the party itself. “Barrister Gohar initially claimed Imran ordered the talks to be called off.
Later, they justified their decision by citing a police raid on Sahibzada Hamid Raza’s house,” Siddiqui remarked, reiterating the government’s readiness for the January 28 meeting.
In contrast, PTI spokesperson Sheikh Waqas Akram declared the negotiations officially over. He accused the government of lacking seriousness, stating, “We opted out of the talks after witnessing their behavior. Even if a judicial commission is formed, we will evaluate its terms of reference before deciding anything.”
Akram dismissed claims that PTI had recognized the government’s mandate, emphasizing that the party’s charter of demands prioritized free and transparent elections as a prerequisite for meaningful negotiations.
The fate of the negotiations now hangs in the balance, with both sides appearing entrenched in their respective positions as political tensions continue to simmer.
