Pak Government Agrees To Consult Imran Khan As Negotiations Begin

Islamabad:

As negotiations between the treasury and the opposition began to address political disputes, Senator Irfan Siddiqui, a member of the government's committee, said on Monday that they have agreed to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) demand to consult Imran Khan - the incarcerated founder of the party, as reported by Geo News.

The PTI and the government started the negotiation process at the Parliament House in Islamabad with "hopes of a positive outcome" with an aim to ease the country's political tensions.

Siddiqui, speaking on a Geo News programme, said, "People want peace and democratic norms rather than anarchy and economic instability in the country."

Speaking about the deferment of the verdict in the 190 million GBP Al-Qadir Trust case against Imran Khan and his wife, Siddiqui clarified that the government was not involved in judicial matters.

"The government has nothing to do with the judicial matters, ruling out any connection with the ongoing negotiation process," he claimed.

He added that the next round of talks is scheduled for January 2 with the mutual consultation of both committees. Siddiqui mentioned that both committees would meet again to continue the dialogue process.

He also confirmed that both sides had agreed to keep their discussions behind closed doors and avoid public statements that could disrupt the negotiations. "We want a logical conclusion of the talks. We told them [PTI] to present their demand in the shape of charter of demand," he said.

However, Siddiqui was careful to avoid making any promises about the outcome of the talks at this early stage. He explained that the government could not give assurances at the moment but would consider PTI's demands once they were presented in writing, reported Geo News.

"The government committee, comprising senior members who know the constitutional and legal matters, will mull over options after receiving the former ruling party's demands," he added.

Senator Raja Nasir Abbas, the chief of the Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM), also shared his thoughts on the negotiations. Speaking on the same programme, Abbas expressed optimism about the ongoing talks, stating, "I have witnessed many positive things during the meeting summoned by the incumbent government."

He praised the formation of the PTI negotiation committee and criticised the government for delaying the formation of its own dialogue committee. According to Abbas, it was important to arrange a meeting between Imran Khan and the PTI negotiating team to ensure a positive direction in the talks. "It is necessary to arrange a meeting between the PTI committee and Imran which would exhibit a positive approach by the government," he emphasised.

Abbas also urged the government to take full advantage of the opportunity provided by these talks to address Pakistan's political disputes.

The meeting was attended by key figures, including Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, PM's Adviser Rana Sanaullah, and Senator Irfan Siddiqui. The opposition's side was represented by former National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, Sunni Ittehad Council Chairman Sahibzada Hamid Raza, and MWM's Raja Nasir Abbas. PTI's committee was composed of other high-ranking members, though some were unable to attend the meeting, Geo News reported.

Following the first round of discussions, PTI has committed to submitting its demands in writing to the government committee.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)