Omar Ayub will formally set a deadline for the government during the second meeting of the negotiation committee. Sunni Ittehad Council Chairman Sahibzada Hamid Raza announced on Thursday that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) would allow the government until January 31 to finalize ongoing negotiations.
“The deadline for negotiations is January 31,” Raza told reporters outside Adiala Jail after meeting PTI founder Imran Khan. “During our committee’s meeting with the government on January 2, Omar Ayub will officially present this deadline.”
Following the February elections, PTI-backed candidates faced difficulties joining any registered political party with the Election Commission of Pakistan. As a result, Khan directed his successful candidates from the national, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Punjab assemblies to align with the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), an ally of PTI.
Relations between the PTI, the government, and the military establishment have deteriorated since Khan’s imprisonment last year on various charges. This has led to frequent protests, some of which turned violent amid state repression.
To address the crisis, Khan formed a five-member committee to engage with all parties, signaling a new approach for PTI lawmakers in parliament. In response, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also established a committee, including members from the ruling coalition, to address the political situation.
The first meeting between the two committees took place on Monday, marking the start of anticipated discussions to ease political tensions. PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan revealed that the former Prime Minister has requested a timeline for the negotiations, and some progress is expected. Senior PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah responded positively, assuring that the government would accommodate the request.
“This is the first time since 1971 that a political party has faced such victimization. PTI’s fundamental rights have been suspended, our members have been tortured, and our civil and human rights have been violated,” Raza said.
He reaffirmed that the party’s call to halt remittances would continue until their demands are met.
