PTI-govt talks: Dialogue ‘only way forward’, says Chairman Gohar Khan

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan on Saturday said that the government is forming a negotiation committee after intervention by National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, adding that dialogue is “the only way forward” for the government and the opposition.

Earlier this month, PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan warned of a civil disobedience movement from December 14 if his demands about the release of political prisoners facing trial and the formation of a judicial commission to probe the events of May 9, 2023, and November 26 were unmet.

On Friday, government legal adviser Barrister Aqeel Malik told Dawn NewsTV that the government was preparing a committee to negotiate with the PTI, with the members likely to be announced over the weekend.

“We are preparing our own committee and are going to seek input from our allies so that they are reflected [in the decision making]. I expect this committee to be formed either tomorrow or by the end of this week,” he added.

The adviser did not mention any possible committee members by name, but said it would include “senior government leaders” and “senior government allies”.

Imran had earlier announced a five-member negotiation team comprising Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, Sunni Ittehad Council Chairman Sahibzada Hamid Raza, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja and PTI MNA Asad Qaiser.

Speaker Sadiq offered on Wednesday to facilitate the negotiations, saying that his “office and residence are open 24 hours”.

Talking to reporters outside the Supreme Court, the PTI chairman said that the NA speaker “intervened” and expressed hope that “a committee would be formed” for negotiations with the PTI.

“Dialogue is the only way forward,” Gohar said. “There needs to be a committee to resolve political issues.”

Gohar added that the NA speaker had requested that a committee be formed by the government and expressed hope that it would be constituted “either today or tomorrow”.

“Talks are the only solution,” Gohar emphasised.

‘They are not interested in talking’: Aleema Khan

Speaking to reporters today, Imran’s sister Aleema Khan stated that the government does not want to negotiate and said that the civil disobedience campaign would start tomorrow.

She said that according to the PTI founder, “the government’s filing of more cases against PTI workers is making their intentions clear”.

“It has become clear that they have no intention at all to talk,” she said. “Their (the government’s) intention is to keep them all in prison.”

Aleema reiterated her brother’s demands for the release of “unjustly imprisoned” PTI workers and the creation of a judicial commission to investigate the events of May 9, 2023 and November 26.

“We have not received any indication that the government wants to discuss the demands,” Aleema said. “Therefore, from tomorrow, a movement will be launched to stop sending remittances to Pakistan.”

Aleema added that if the party’s two demands are discussed, then the PTI “will stop the call to stop sending remittances”.

This ultimatum was reiterated by PTI lawyer Shoaib Shaheen during a media talk today, where he said that there has been no progress on a probe into the alleged killing of PTI supporters by security personnel during the November 26 rally in Islamabad.

“It has been a month and there has been no judicial commission,” he said. “Therefore, the PTI has given an ultimatum to form a committee and hold serious negotiations. If our demand is met, the civil disobedience movement will be called off.

“Otherwise, they have demanded that overseas Pakistanis not send their remittances to Pakistan,” Shaheen stated.