Prime Minister forms committee to review PTI’s demands: Sanaullah

Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has established a committee consisting of members from all ruling parties to review the demands submitted by the opposition party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), according to the prime minister’s aide on political affairs, Rana Sanaullah, on Thursday.

At a press conference in Islamabad, Sanaullah, alongside the head of the government’s negotiation committee, Senator Irfan Siddiqui, briefed the media on the third round of talks between the PTI and the government’s negotiating teams. The meeting, which took place at the Parliament House, was chaired by National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq.

The PTI, earlier on the same day, officially presented its list of demands, which includes the formation of two separate commissions to investigate the violent events of May 9, 2023, and November 26, 2024. PTI has also demanded the release of “political prisoners” who were held about these incidents.

Sanaullah stated that the newly formed committee would carefully review the PTI’s demands and provide a response. He emphasised that the PTI’s request for the release of “political prisoners,” particularly party founder Imran Khan, would be considered as part of the review.

While addressing the PTI’s demand for the establishment of a chief justice-led commission to probe the May 9 violent protests and the November 26 crackdown on party workers, Sanaullah explained that both matters had already been investigated and were currently pending in the courts. He argued that reopening enquiries into these events was unnecessary.

Sanaullah also dismissed PTI’s claims of hundreds of its workers being killed or missing following the November 26 crackdown in Islamabad’s D-Chowk area. He pointed out that if such a large number of workers had gone missing, their families would have organised protests, which did not happen. Furthermore, he criticised the PTI for failing to provide concrete details about the missing or deceased workers.

Regarding the PTI’s request for support for political prisoners, Sanaullah mentioned that the party had not provided sufficient information about these individuals. He expressed hope that the legal case involving the PTI founder and his wife would soon be resolved.

PTI’s demands include the formation of two inquiry commissions led by the Chief Justice of Pakistan or three serving Supreme Court judges, which must be established within seven days. The party also requested that the proceedings of these commissions be made transparent, with open access for the public and the media.

The PTI has called on the federal government, as well as provincial governments, to support the release of political prisoners, especially those arrested after the May 9 and November 26 events. The party has also outlined a total of 22 key demands, with five specifically related to the formation of the two inquiry commissions.