• No further rounds of negotiations will take place: Barrister Gohar.
• Says PTI will initiate movement in cooperation with all parties.
• Faisal Vawda says PTI seems happy about founder’s jailing.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan has called off talks with the government over its failure to set up a judicial commission within the seven-day period, according to PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan.

Speaking to the media outside Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, lawyer Gohar said the party’s legal team, including himself, met Khan earlier in the day, who has been behind bars for more than a year.

During the meeting, Khan expressed his frustration over the delay and said the government’s failure to act for the formation of a judicial commission leaves no reason to continue negotiations.

The Khan-founded party, in its written charter of demands presented to the government during the third session on January 16, had demanded the formation of two judicial commissions — mutually nominated by the PTI and the government within seven days — and the release of “political prisoners”.

The former ruling party’s demands from two judicial commissions related to an inquiry into the May 9, 2023 riots as well as the November 24 to November 27, 2024 events related to its protest in Islamabad.

Elaborating on the party’s stand, Barrister Gohar said the judicial commissions, if the government forms them, should consist of three senior judges from either the Supreme Court or the Supreme Court.

“We will continue our struggle in accordance with the constitution and the law,” the PTI chairman remarked, adding that efforts would be made against an independent judiciary and the 26th amendment.

“We will initiate a movement in collaboration with all political parties,” he added. Barrister Gohar further relayed Khan’s remarks, saying, “As of today, the commission was supposed to be announced, but it hasn’t been.”

He further quoted the PTI founder as saying, “We are not waiting for assistance from any foreign country.”

PTI’s announcement to end the dialogue process follows NA opposition leader Omar Ayub’s statement on Tuesday, in which he termed the talks “useless” without the formation of the judicial commission.

“Constitution of a judicial commission is necessary before the fourth round of negotiations,” Ayub said while referring to the next session scheduled for January 28 according to government negotiating committee member Senator Irfan Siddiqui.

The government has lamented PTI’s “rigid stance” with Prime Minister’s Political Affairs Aide Rana Sanaullah saying, “We would not grab anything from PTI if they participate. [fourth round of talks]…negotiations are not a decree”.

NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, who is facilitating the talks, said that there can never be progress if you stick to one point. “Talks should have give-and-take or it wouldn’t develop,” he said.

Meanwhile, on the much-pressing issue of the Judicial Commission, Senator Siddiqui has said that the ruling coalition was yet to take a stand on the matter.

Reacting to Advocate Gohar’s statement, Senator Faisal Vawda said the government and PTI shared the same goal during the talks. He said both sides aimed to ensure that the PTI founder remained in jail.

“Now they want to let the government function as PTI members are satisfied that their founder is in jail,” Vawda noted. He further claimed that PTI is acting as a guarantor of the PML-N government.

“They supported the government in all amendments,” he added. “More than half of their leadership is present in KP and looting continues on both fronts,” Vawda said.

“None of them went to jail and they seem happy that the PTI founder was jailed,” he said. On the day of the sentencing, they appeared distressed, but no protests were carried out, Vawda claimed.

“They are only interested in putting on a show,” he concluded.

PTI’s demand

The PTI, in its written submission to the government’s negotiation committee, said it wanted the conduct of the two commissions’ negotiations to be open to the general public as well as the media.

The party said it would identify the political prisoners who were arrested after the May 9 and November 24-24 events or any other political event elsewhere.

Overall, it outlined a total of 22 keys before the government, specifically making five demands regarding the formation of two commissions of inquiry.

First commission

The first commission is tasked with conducting an in-depth investigation into the legality of the events that led to the arrest of Khan on May 9, 2023.

The commission will also look into the legality of the manner of arrest and those responsible for the raid on the premises of the Islamabad High Court – from where Khan was arrested – by the Rangers and the police.

The events across the country following the arrest of Khan, particularly the circumstances under which groups of individuals were able to reach various high-security locations where damage to property is said to have been caused, should also be probed, PTI said.

CCTV footage at each location where the damage is said to have been caused by protesters should be examined and if CCTV footage is not available, the reasons for this non-availability should be determined.

The manner in which those arrested in connection with the events of May 9 were apprehended and then held in custody, as well as the circumstances surrounding their release, should be investigated, the document states.

Second Commission

This second body should be tasked with conducting an in-depth investigation into the events of November 24 to 27, 2024 in Islamabad – the days when the party, led by KP CM Gandapur and Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi, marched to Islamabad.

The PTI demanded an inquiry into the use of live ammunition and other forms of physical assault on the protesters in Islamabad.

“If so, who ordered the use of live ammunition and other acts of violence against the protesters? To what extent was the use of force excessive? If so, who was responsible for the excessive use of force?”

The number of people killed and injured and of those who went missing after the protest in November should be brought to light, PTI demanded.

The commission should also investigate and ascertain the condition of the CCTV footage of the various hospitals and medical facilities in Islamabad in respect of the said period, the document said.

Furthermore, it should be investigated whether the records of hospitals and other medical facilities were tampered with and, if so, under whose direction and command was this done? “Were the hospitals prevented from releasing information about the dead and wounded?”