Islamabad, January 6, 2025: A deadlock between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the government continues, despite two rounds of talks, as PTI negotiators have failed to meet their imprisoned party leader, Imran Khan, and present written demands, according to sources cited by a private news channel.
The opposition claims that Adiala Jail authorities have blocked their access to Khan, while the government points to PTI’s failure to submit a written charter of demands. This has led to hesitance on the part of National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq in scheduling a third round of talks, sources say.
The stalemate follows months of political tensions, leading to high-profile negotiations between the two sides. Two meetings were held on December 27, 2024, and January 2, 2025. In their last session, both parties agreed that PTI would present its charter of demands after meeting the jailed leader, with the third round of talks contingent on this meeting.
PTI has consistently demanded the release of Khan and its party workers, as well as the formation of a judicial commission to investigate the May 9 riots and November 26 protests. However, sources indicate that PTI must not only present its demands in writing after meeting Khan but also formalize an agreement with the government if its demands are accepted.
Despite a relatively positive atmosphere in the previous talks, neither side has approached the Speaker’s office to convene the third meeting. PTI negotiator Asad Qaiser has argued that the verbal demands made in the earlier meetings should be considered their written demands, as they were documented in meeting minutes.
Speaking outside Adiala Jail on Monday, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar emphasized the necessity of meeting Khan before the next round of talks. He mentioned that they had informed the government’s negotiation team of their need to meet with the imprisoned leader and had hoped to do so by today, though no confirmation had been received. “We hope to meet Khan tomorrow,” he said.
Gohar also denied reports of backdoor negotiations involving Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, clarifying that only the formal committee set up by Khan is conducting the talks. PTI’s negotiation committee member, Sahibzada Hamid Raza, also confirmed that the government had not yet granted permission for the meeting with Khan.
PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram reiterated that while the party had no objection to submitting written demands, they could not do so without meeting Khan. He added that despite the government’s agreement to their meeting, they had not yet received a response from the Speaker’s office.
The delay in meeting Khan has been attributed to unresolved procedural issues regarding the meeting. Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) parliamentary leader in the Senate, Irfan Siddiqui, briefed former PM Nawaz Sharif on the situation.
As the PTI has set a deadline of January 31, 2025, for the negotiations to reach a resolution, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political and Public Affairs, Rana Sanaullah, has suggested extending the deadline to February 28. PTI, according to The News, is demanding Khan’s release through an executive order, while the government has warned that any change in PTI’s stance could jeopardize the talks aimed at reducing political tensions.
Siddiqui expressed concerns last week, noting that PTI leadership appeared divided on presenting their demands in writing and that Qaiser was struggling to fulfill promises made during previous negotiations.
