PTI Demands Unfettered Access to Imran Khan as Negotiations with Government Stalemate
During the two round of talks —held with NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, the PTI negotiation team sought frequent meetings with party founder to finalise the "charter of demands".
In a significant development amidst ongoing political tensions in Pakistan, the Pakistan Tehreek-Insaf (PTI) party has demanded “unfettered access” to its jailed founder, Imran Khan, to facilitate crucial negotiations with the government.
During a joint press conference on Tuesday, PTI leaders, including Leader of the Opposition Omar Ayub and Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, emphasized the need for unmonitored meetings with Khan, who has been imprisoned in Adiala Jail since August 2023.
Omar Ayub said: “During the second round of talks, our negotiation team had asked the government team to arrange their unmonitored and unfettered meeting with PTI fonder Imran Khan.”
“There should be no monitoring during the meeting [between PTI leadership and the former prime minister in Adiala Jail],” Omar Ayub said.
During the second round of talks, the ruling coalition assured PTI that they were allowed to meet Khan, he added.
Reinterring their demands, Omar Ayub clarified that PTI did not want to make any deal with anyone.
PTI Chairman Gohar stated that the party’s charge sheet against the government is “extensive,” claiming that PTI was “barred” from participating in elections and that their victory was turned into defeat through poll rigging.
Emphasizing the need for uninterrupted dialogue between the government and opposition to ease political tensions, he asserted that negotiations should not be stalled over minor issues like presenting demands in writing. “Talks should proceed, regardless of whether PTI’s demands are documented or not,” he said.
Despite repeated calls from the ruling coalition, PTI remains hesitant to provide their demands in written form to the government.
PTI Secretary General Raja, speaking at the event, vowed not to forget the sacrifices made by party workers and supporters. “Our workers were martyred on November 26,” he said, adding that the families of the deceased had also been threatened.
Raja further explained that PTI entered negotiations with the government to bridge the gap between the people and the state. Responding to a question about a potential deal, he quoted PTI founder Khan, stating that Khan would be the last person to leave jail.
The PTI’s negotiation team has expressed frustration over the government’s insistence on receiving a written charter of demands before proceeding with further discussions. Ayub stated that previous meetings were hindered by monitoring devices, preventing open dialogue about their key demands, which include the release of all political prisoners and a judicial inquiry into events surrounding protests on May 9 and November 26.
Despite their vocal stance on these issues, PTI has yet to provide a formal written list of demands to the government, leading to a stalemate in negotiations. The ruling coalition has cited this lack of documentation as a reason for hesitance in scheduling additional meetings.
