ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s prime minister has constituted a committee comprising members of its ally political parties to respond to a “Charter of Demands” submitted by ex-PM Imran Khan’s party, Shehbaz Sharif’s aide said after a fresh round of talks between the government and the opposition to ease political tensions concluded on Thursday.
Khan’s ouster in a parliamentary vote of no-confidence in 2022 has since plunged the country into long-term political crisis, particularly since the founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was jailed in August 2023 on corruption and other charges and remains behind bars. Khan’s party and supporters regularly hold protests calling for his release, with some of the demonstrations turning violent, including one in November last year in which the government says four troops were killed and the PTI says 12 of its supporters died.
Khan’s brief arrest on May 9, 2023, in a land graft case had also sparked countrywide protests that saw his supporters attack and ransack military installations in an unprecedented backlash against Pakistan’s powerful army generals. Hundreds of PTI supporters and leaders were subsequently arrested and dozens remain in jail as they face trail before civilian and military courts.
Khan last month set up a negotiating committee of top PTI leaders to open dialogue with the government on two main demands: the release of political prisoners and the establishment of judicial commissions to investigate the May 9, 2023, and Nov. 26, 2024 protests. The first round of talks took place on Dec. 23 and the second on Jan. 2, while the third was held today, Thursday.
“The prime minister has constituted a committee which has the representation of all ally parties,” Rana Sanaullah, the prime minister’s adviser on political affairs, told reporters at a news conference.
“This committee will prepare an effective response to this Charter of Demands, which we will present to the PTI or the opposition committee in the same manner. That will be the final response,” he added.
Sanaullah said one of the PTI’s principal demands since the past 10-11 months was that the results of the February 2024 general election, which the party claims were manipulated, be reversed. He said the PTI has “resigned” from the demand and did not mention it in the third round of talks between the two sides.
PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan, meanwhile, hoped on Wednesday that the government would consider the party’s demands seriously.
“We hope that if [the government] participates with seriousness, an open mind, and sincerity, a solution can be found to all the issues,” he told reporters.
The talks opened last month as Khan had threatened a civil disobedience movement and amid growing concerns he could face trial by a military court for allegedly inciting attacks on sensitive security installations during the May 9 protests.
The negotiations also began two days after 25 civilians were sentenced by a military court to periods of two to 10 years of “rigorous imprisonment” in connection with the attacks on military facilities on May 9, 2023. Just days later on Dec. 26, another 60 civilians were sentenced by a military court to jail time ranging from 2 to 10 years.
Khan, facing a slew of legal cases from jail, says all charges against him are politically motivated to keep him and his party out of power. Khan had to sit out February 2024 general election as convicted felons cannot run for public office in Pakistan.
