Islamabad: The PTI leaders requested the government to grant more time to consult party founder Imran Khan on a final list of talks as the third round of talks between both sides was set for next week.
The second round of meetings between the PTI and the government in Islamabad on Thursday.
The first meeting between committees representing the government and the opposition PTI took place on Dec 23, kicking off long-anticipated talks between the rival parties to defuse prevailing political tensions.
A notification issued by the National Assembly (NA) Secretariat on Monday said that NA Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq would chair an in-camera meeting of the second round between the negotiating teams of the federal government and PTI on January 2 (today).
The meeting kicked off under the NA speaker's oversight and is being attended by Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, PTI MNA Asad Qaiser, Sunni Ittehad Council chief Hamid Raza, Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen chief Senator Raja Nasir Abbas Jafri and PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja from the opposition while from the government side are attending Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui, PPP MNAs Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Naveed Qamar, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political and Public Affairs Rana Sanaullah and others.
Addressing a press conference after the negotiations, the NA speaker said the previous meeting had decided that the PTI would present its demands today but the opposition requested today that it still needed time for consultation with Imran on a 'conclusive list' of demands.
'The hope is that we will have the third meeting next week,' he said. Sadiq hailed today's talks, saying they were held in 'an even more cordial atmosphere than previously'.
In particular, he pointed out that CM Gandapur had given very commendable suggestions and advice and 'poured out his heart'.
'The most beautiful result of all this was that everyone decided to sit down and talk on Pakistan's betterment, whether about the economy, terrorism or any other issue.'
Reading out the joint statement, Senator Siddiqui said the opposition presented its point of view in detail and demanded the release of Imran and other PTI leaders and supporters, along with a judicial commission on the events of May 9, 2023, and November 26, 2024.
He said the party also requested that it be allowed to meet Imran in Adiala Jail to consult him on the final charter of demands. He said that as per the PTI, Imran had given his permission to begin the talks and thus his instructions were necessary for their continuation.
'The PTI said that the charter of demands will be presented in the next meeting in definitive written form.'
Siddiqui said that FM Dar told the opposition the government had no issue with the PTI committee meeting Imran for consultation on demands.