PTI leader Asad Qaiser on Saturday said that the party would not continue negotiations with the government to bring down the political temperature unless it was granted “uninterrupted access” ex-premier Imran Khan for consultation, saying that only he could make any final decisions.
Since Imran’s incarceration last year in several cases, PTI’s relations with the government and the establishment have deteriorated sharply, marked by protests that frequently escalated into violence amid state repression.
Following the turmoil, Imran established a five-member committee to hold talks with “anyone”, signalling a shift in PTI lawmakers’ stance in parliament. In response, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also formed a committee with ruling coalition members.
The first meeting between the two sides took place on December 23, while the second one occurred on January 2. So far, the two sides have not made significant headway, as the PTI leadership sought frequent meetings with Imran to finalise their list of demands. The government and the opposition will meet again, possibly next week.
Speaking on DawnNewsTV programme ‘Doosra Rukh’ today, Qaiser said. “We have requested uninterrupted access to Imran Khan. If that does not happen, then we will not be in a position to make any commitments or for talks to move forward.”
He said the government had also agreed in principle with the demand for daily meetings.
The PTI leader, who also served as the National Assembly Speaker during Imran’s tenure, drew comparisons with the PPP and the PML-N, asking, “Do you think they do anything without the permission of Nawaz Sharif, or Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari or Asif Zardari?
“The reality is reality. Only Imran Khan will make the main decisions,” he stated.
Qaiser said that if Imran could not make decisions, then the talks would no longer be able to continue. “If he has any reservations about the negotiations and distances himself from them, then they no longer matter.”
The PTI leader said that the committee was creating an environment for talks and acting as a facilitator so that “matters can be resolved properly”.
He added that there needed to be uninterrupted access to other incarcerated party leaders for political consultations.
When asked if he would leave the committee if access was not granted, Qaiser replied, “The whole committee will fail. This process needs to be gradual and careful while keeping the interests of the public in mind.”
He added that the main stakeholders “also need to be considered and they need to meet with the government”. Qaiser clarified that the party’s points were “very clear”.
The PTI leader said that he recommended that the committee meet with the government again next week.
Responding to a question about the government’s apporach during the talks, Qaiser said that the government had a “good attitude” and “their body language and approach were reasonable”.
When asked about the PTI demanding the release of Imran from prison — despite his own statements to reporters that he does not want relief — Qaiser said that the statement was issued after consulting the party founder, but emphasised that the cases against him were “political victimisation”.
“If you were to hold a referendum, you will not find anyone who believes these are genuine cases,” Qaiser said, referring to the cases registered against the ex-premier.
“These are all illegal and politically-motivated. We only want justice and the end of government pressure on the courts. After that, they can try these cases on merit.”
When asked about offers to transfer Imran to Banigala or Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Qaiser responded in the negative, stating that he has not seen any such offer or had contact about it.
Qaiser responded to another question — this time about the PTI’s leverage in the talks — reiterating that the final decision lay with Imran and that the party was playing the role of a facilitator.
“Our committee is made up of very senior people,” he said. “You cannot have a more powerful committee than this.”
Will bring establishment on board for talks when needed: Raja Pervaiz Ashraf
Meanwhile, when asked if the establishment would be brought on board for negotiations, government committee member Raja Pervaiz Ashraf said, “They are a part of the government, of course the committee will talk with them as and where it is needed.”
He echoed Qaiser, stating that the meeting took place in a “pleasant environment” and that both sides were trying to keep the environment as positive as possible.
“Everyone listened intently and responded politely,” he said. “This was the second meeting, in the first we requested that the PTI present a formal charter of demands.
“They agreed but requested time and a meeting with Imran Khan first to consult him. Once we have his input, we will present a charter before the committee,” Ashraf said. “Following the meeting next week, a date will be set to submit the charter of demands.”
The former PM added that the negotiations themselves were a success, as “those who will not shake hands have been brought to a forum to discuss their issues”.
“This is a good start to move towards something better,” Ashraf said.
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