Gohar said discussions with the government are on ‘pause’ amid a disagreement about commissions.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan stated that discussions with the government had been put on “hold” by part founder Imran Khan owing to failure to meet their demands.
The PTI chairman revealed it to the media at Parliament House, a day after announcing the end of negotiations with the government committee.
“We only made two demands, but no action was taken to form judicial commissions in seven days,” he stated, claiming that seven days was sufficient to announce the commission.
He stated that the PTI could reconsider discussions if the government established a committee to investigate the May 9 and November 26 occurrences.
A day earlier, Gohar Ali Khan told reporters outside Adiala Jail that Imran Khan had urged the party to withdraw from the talks due to the government’s delay in forming judicial commissions, as required by the PTI.
Barrister Gohar noted that despite giving the administration a seven-day deadline, no movement had been achieved in establishing a judicial panel.
He emphasized that the PTI prefers to address conflicts through discussion. However, if the government fails to announce the commission, no additional rounds of negotiations will take place. He stated that talks could only resume if a three-member judicial commission was established.
Barrister Gohar further stated that Imran Khan underlined his commitment to continuing efforts within the constitution and legislation, as well as to working with other opposition parties to advance their cause.
The PTI chairman further stated that the party was not looking for outside help.
What is the purpose of judicial commissions?
During the third session of discussions, the PTI presented its requests for the formation of judicial commissions to investigate incidents on May 9, 2023 and November 26, 2024 in black and white.
According to the PTI’s proposals, the federal government should form two inquiry bodies comprised of either the chief justice or three Supreme Court judges.
The commissions should be created in accordance with the Commission of Inquiry Act of 2017, with judges appointed by both the PTI and the government within seven days.
It suggested that the first commission should be tasked with probing Imran Khan’s detention on May 9, the admission of Rangers and police into Islamabad High Court, and the CCTV footage from the May 9 events.
The PTI also urged an inquiry into media censorship and journalist harassment, as well as an investigation into the statewide internet shutdown and the identification of individuals involved.
The second commission was asked to investigate the use of force against protesters in Islamabad from November 24 to 27, identify those responsible for ordering the firing, and verify the number of martyrs and injuries using hospital and medical facility CCTV recordings.
The PTI also demanded an investigation into the challenges in filing FIRs and the control of media reportage.
Furthermore, the PTI urged the federal and Punjab governments, as well as those of Sindh and Balochistan, to issue orders releasing or suspending all political prisoners’ sentences.
Sources revealed that the PTI’s negotiating committee members signed the document in opposition leader’s chamber, with PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja also signing the demands document.