The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Thursday submitted a formal list of demands to the government, stating it will not be able to continue with the negotiations if they are not agreed to in principle.
The PTI and the government commenced talks aimed at achieving political stability last month. The previous two rounds of the talks failed to make any headway as the government urged the PTI to submit a written list of demands before any further progress of the process. Following a meeting with former Prime Minister Imran Khan, the PTI agreed to present a formal “Charter of Demands.”
The three-page letter signed by six members of the PTI’s committee, including Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan and PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, primarily seeks the formation of judicial commissions. The demands, it states, must be met as a “prerequisite to wider negotiations with respect to the restoration of the Constitution, the rule of law and respect for the people’s mandate, free and fair elections.”
It states that the PTI would not be able to continue with negotiations if the two commissions sought by it were not “agreed to in principle and constituted forthwith.”
First Demand
The PTI’s first demand calls upon the federal government to establish two Commissions of Inquiry in accordance with the Commission of Inquiry Act, 2017. These commissions, it states, must include Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi or three serving judges of the Supreme Court, mutually nominated by the PTI and the government within seven days. “The conduct of the proceedings of the two commissions must be open to the general public as well as the media,” it adds.
The first commission demanded by the PTI seeks a probe into the legality of the events that led to Imran Khan’s arrest on May 9, 2023, as well as the legality of the manner of the arrest from the premises of the Islamabad High Court.
It further seeks a probe into the riots that erupted after the arrest, particularly how the rioters managed to reach various high security locations. This must be done through examination of the CCTV recordings at each location, it states, adding causes for any missing footage should be probed.
The first commission, state the demands, must probe the manner of arrest of accused in the May 9 riots and the circumstances of their release. The probe should examine whether the human rights of these individuals were violated and how it was determined who should be arrested.
The commission should also probe whether any abuse of process of law occurred with the registration of multiple FIRs against individuals with respect to the May 9, 2023 riots. Additionally, it should review any potential media censorship regarding reporting on the incident and examine the legality of internet disruptions during and after the unrest.
The second commission demanded by the PTI seeks any inquiry into the party’s Islamabad protest from Nov. 24-27. It specifically seeks a probe into whether any live ammunition was fired on the protesters and affixing of responsibility on who used excessive force if it occurred.
It also seeks a list of people allegedly slain or injured during the protest, as well as a list of people who went missing. It calls on the commission to ascertain the state of CCTV recordings at various hospitals and medical facilities in Islamabad from Nov. 24-27. Additionally, it seeks a probe into whether any hospital records were tampered with and if so, on whose directions.
The second commission should further examine the CCTV footage from the protest venue of Islamabad and determine if people seeking to initiate legal action on those events encountered any difficulties. The PTI has also sought a review of any restrictions on reporting related to the incident and the legality of the government’s imposition of internet shutdowns and its impact.
Second Demand
The PTI’s second demand calls for the federal and provincial governments in Sindh, Balochistan and Punjab to “support” the bails or suspension of convictions and sentences of all “political” prisoners who would be identified by the party. This demand extends to any political prisoners arrested who have been convicted and whose appeals or revisions are presently pending before a court of law.
Government response
PMLN Senator Irfan Siddiqui told media after the third round of talks that the PTI had also sought another meeting with Khan, which the government had agreed to. He said the parties comprising the government had agreed to take the PTI’s demands to their leadership, adding they would submit a formal response within seven days.
The date for the fourth round of talks will be announced at a later date by Speaker Ayaz Sadiq.