The government on Sunday expressed concern over new demands made by PTI leader Asad Qaiser, namely the inclusion of a representative of the establishment in the ongoing negotiations, as well as the party’s reluctance to submit a formal letter of demands. .
while speaking in DawnTV News program ‘Doosra Rukh‘ On Saturday, Qaiser had said the party would not continue negotiations with the government to lower the political temperature unless former prime minister and party founder Imran Khan was granted “uninterrupted access” for consultations, saying that only he could do something. final decisions.
He added that there needed to be uninterrupted access to other imprisoned party leaders for political consultations. However, Qaiser, while not naming the establishment, said the PTI had asked the government to include “stakeholders” in the dialogue because “the thinking of those who have the real decision-making power remains to be seen.”
In the same programme, PPP leader Raja Pervez Ashraf said: “They (the establishment) are part of the government, of course, the committee will talk to them whenever and wherever necessary,” in response to a question on the possibility to bring a representative of the establishment on board for negotiations.
talking to dawn.com By phone today, government committee spokesman Senator Irfan Siddiqui said he was “surprised” by Qaiser’s new demands, saying they had not been raised in committee meetings.
“What he (Qaiser) said in the interview with Dawn News “It is surprising and very big,” he said. “Now he has presented new demands to include a representative of the establishment in the negotiations.
“He did not raise any of these demands during the committee meeting,” the senator said. Siddiqui also expressed surprise at Qaiser’s demand for uninterrupted access to other jailed PTI leaders for consultations on the talks.
On Thursday, Siddiqui said in a joint press release that the PTI had requested in the last meeting to be allowed to meet Imran in Adiala jail to consult him on the final letter of demands.
Siddiqui warned that the ongoing talks could face significant challenges due to the PTI’s failure to put its demands in writing as initially agreed, according to APPLICATION.
He said, quoting Qaiser, that the PTI would use the minutes of the committee meeting as a formal presentation of the party’s demands, unlike the bylaws discussed at the meeting.
“This is strange,” Siddiqui said, referring to how the lawsuits were filed.
Since Imran’s imprisonment last year, in several cases, the PTI’s relations with the government and the establishment have deteriorated sharply, marked by protests that frequently escalated into violence amid state repression.
Following the agitation, Imran set up a five-member committee to hold talks with “anyone”, signaling a change in the stance of PTI lawmakers in Parliament. In response, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also formed a committee with members of the ruling coalition.
The first meeting between both parties took place on December 23, while the second took place on January 2.
The government and opposition are expected to meet again next week.