Information Minister Tarar says a middle way will be identified to meet PTI demand instead of a judicial commission

ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Attaullah Tarar has stated that the government is considering a “middle ground” by forming a committee instead of establishing a judicial commission, as demanded by the former ruling party.

Tarar said, “It is not necessary to constitute a commission… we were deliberating on a middle ground to take things forward.”

Earlier, incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan called off negotiations with the government, citing its failure to establish a judicial commission within the agreed-upon seven-day timeframe.

Outside Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan told the media that Imran Khan expressed frustration over the delay, stating that the government’s inaction left no justification for continuing the talks.

“The founder of PTI has categorically announced that no further rounds of negotiations will take place,” Gohar said, adding, “The government made promises but failed to deliver, which is why Imran Khan decided to end the negotiations.”

Negotiations between the PML-N-led government and PTI began in late December to ease political tensions, but after three sessions, little progress has been made on critical issues.

During the third session on January 16, PTI presented a charter of demands, calling for the formation of two judicial commissions—mutually agreed upon by both parties within seven days—and the release of “political prisoners.” The commissions were intended to investigate the May 9, 2023 riots and the November 26 crackdown on PTI supporters in Islamabad.

Commenting on PTI’s decision to withdraw from talks, Tarar accused the party of acting with “malicious intent and haste.”

He noted that the government had been holding “extensive discussions” on PTI’s demands and emphasized that the party should have waited for an official response. “PTI was bound to wait for the government’s reply till the deadline. Now, the onus is on them,” he remarked.

PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui, spokesperson for the government’s negotiation committee, described PTI’s decision as “unfortunate” and urged the party to reconsider.

“The deadline of seven working days ends on January 28,” Siddiqui said, calling on PTI to give the government a chance to respond. “When they [PTI] knocked on our door and handed over a questionnaire, they should have waited for our answers,” he told journalists outside Parliament House on Thursday.