- PTI’s position on inquiry commissions and other issues stays firm, says PM’s advisor.
ISLAMABAD: Advisor to Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah on Thursday announced on Thursday that after extensive negotiations, PTI has withdrawn its demand for the return of its electoral mandate.
Sanaullah revealed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had formed a special committee to address the written demands submitted by the opposition. The committee will work closely with the government’s allied parties and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) to ensure a comprehensive response to PTI’s requests.
The third round of talks between the two sides took place on Thursday, where PTI’s delegation, led by senior leaders including Omar Ayub, formally presented their written demands.
One of the primary demands raised by PTI in these negotiations was the establishment of two inquiry commissions—one to investigate the arrest of PTI Chairman Imran Khan on May 9, 2023, which led to nationwide unrest, and another to probe incidents between November 24 and November 27, 2024.
The demand includes investigating the police and military involvement in Imran Khan’s arrest and the subsequent violence, as well as examining CCTV footage related to the events of May 9.
In a joint press briefing with Senator Irfan Siddiqui, Rana Sanaullah mentioned that the PTI’s other significant demand revolved around the political cases filed against party leaders and supporters. The PTI requested access to detailed records of the FIRs filed against political activists, but the government claimed that no such details had been provided by PTI during the talks.
While PTI had previously insisted on the return of its mandate through new elections, Rana Sanaullah confirmed that the opposition party had stepped back from this demand, marking a shift in their stance.
He added that despite the withdrawal of the mandate demand, PTI’s position on other matters, including the inquiry commissions, remained firm.
PTI had also previously raised concerns about “political cases” being fabricated against its members, a claim that led to further discussions on the issue.
Source link
