Second round of PTI-govt dialogue to be held today

ISLAMABAD, JAN 2 (DNA): The government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will begin second round of dialogue on Thursday (today) afternoon.

The government and PTI negotiation committees’ in-camera meeting has been rescheduled from 11am to 3:30pm today. As per the spokesperson for the National Assembly, the committee members requested for changing the meeting’s timing.

The meeting will be chaired by National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq in the Parliament House’s Constitution Committee Room. As the NA speaker is facilitating and leading the negotiations between the government and PTI.

The opposition party has decided to demand from the government to release PTI prisoners and probe the cases pertaining to May 9 and November 26 protests through constitution of a judicial commission.

Meanwhile, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur said on Wednesday that the PTI was ready to launch a protest movement if the ongoing talks with the government failed.

Talking to a private TV news channel, he said the PTI founder had authorised party leaders to hold talks with the government only for the sake of the country.

The chief minister, who is also the KP chapter chief of PTI, stated that while his party had engaged in talks with the government, it was prepared to launch a movement if their demands were not met.

Enlisting the major demands, referring to the PTI’s charter of demand, he said these included the release of the PTI founder, other leaders, and political prisoners.

The chief minister also reiterated his earlier call for the formation of a commission to investigate the violent incidents of May 9 and November 26. He expressed the hope that the year 2025 would mark the beginning of what he termed “real freedom”.

Gandapur emphasised that the PTI relied on public support for launching the movement, asserting that backing from foreign powers was not required.

Meanwhile, PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui on Wednesday said the government would hold consultations with the coalition partners regarding the PTI charter of demands (CoD), after receiving demands from the party.

Talking to a local TV channel, Siddiqui said his party could seek legal help on the matter of PTI’s CoD.

To a query about judicial commission on May 9 and November 26, he said the government would seek legal assistance over the issues that took place during those protests.

“The homework will also be completed before taking the decisions and reviewing the PTI leaderhip’s demands,” he stated.

‘This practice must be stopped’

On the other hand, Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif urged the leaders of PTI to work for national interest and avoid attacking country’s security institutions in the future.

“The PTI was found involved in the May 9 riots and this practice must be stopped in future,” he said talking to a TV channel.

To a question about dialogue with the opposition, he said the government had initiated a dialogue process with the PTI in the larger national interest.

“Despite political instability created by PTI leaders since 2018, we have successfully managed to reduce inflation,” the minister added.

There must be political stability in the country so that the government could achieve economic and exports targets in a proper manner, Asif said.