The federal government has formally rejected Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) demand for setting up a judicial commission to probe the events of May 9, 2023, citing legal and procedural constraints, Express News reported on Monday.

According to government insiders, the negotiating committee reviewed the PTI’s written charter of demands submitted during the third round of negotiations and ultimately decided against the formation of a judicial commission.

Officials claim that cases related to May 9 incidents are already being prosecuted in the courts, making further investigations redundant.

“Judicial commissions cannot be constituted for cases under active trial,” a senior official said, rejecting PTI’s allegations of illegal detentions and political prisoners.

The PTI had submitted a detailed list of demands, including setting up of two separate commissions under the Commission of Inquiry Act 2017.

The first commission was to investigate the legality of Imran Khan’s arrest on 9 May and assess the circumstances leading to his detention.

The second was aimed at investigating the subsequent violence, including attacks on military installations, desecration of memorials and damage to public property.

The PTI also sought transparency by requesting that commission proceedings be open to the public and the media. It called for the immediate release of political leaders and workers detained in connection with the incidents.

The government has categorically stated that the May 9 incidents were part of a “premeditated plan to target military installations” that highlighted attacks on the headquarters and the Lahore Corps Commander’s house.

The government maintains that these acts of vandalism and arson were not spontaneous protests, but deliberate attempts to undermine state institutions.

Sources confirm that the government’s negotiating team will give a formal written response to PTI in the fourth round of negotiations. However, the rejection of a judicial commission is expected to deepen the rift between the two sides.

Amid reports of a final government response, Irfan Siddiqui, a member of the government’s negotiating team, rejected the allegations, calling them “baseless”. In a statement on social media, Siddiqui clarified: “The coalition parties are still consulting and a unified response may take another week to finalize.”

Dismissing speculations that the government has dismissed PTI’s demands without further consideration, he urged the media to avoid spreading misinformation.

The PTI had given an ultimatum and demanded the formation of the commissions within seven days. As the deadline looms, party leaders have warned to halt further talks if no progress is made. “If the government does not appoint the commission, there will be no fourth meeting,” PTI representatives said.

Meanwhile, the government insists that the dialogue can only proceed within the legal framework. This firm stance has contributed to the growing uncertainty surrounding the outcome of the negotiations, with both sides refusing to compromise.

Maintain national interest in talks with PTI, Nawaz tells PM

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif on Sunday urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to keep the national interest paramount in the ongoing talks with the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

According to a statement issued by the ruling party, Shehbaz briefed the former prime minister and his elder brother on the talks, besides other important issues, including the country’s current political and economic situation.

According to Express News, the meeting took place at Jati Umra, which was also attended by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. The meeting lasted for two hours, the report said, adding that Nawaz emphasized the need for national unity in the current circumstances.

“We all have to work together for the country,” Nawaz said during the meeting, according to Express News. Regarding talks with PTI, Nawaz told Shehbaz Sharif to keep the country’s interest above all else in the talks.

According to the PML-N statement, important political and national issues were discussed in the meeting and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif briefed Nawaz Sharif on the country’s political and economic situation and consulted him on important issues.

During the discussions, the top PML-N leadership was informed that the government’s efforts to solve the country’s economic problems had borne fruit and inflation had come down significantly. “The meeting was informed that the situation is moving in a positive direction,” the statement said.