The federal government has formally rejected the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) demand to set up a judicial commission to probe the events of May 9, 2023, citing legal and procedural constraints, Express News reported on Monday.
According to government sources, the negotiating committee considered the written charter of demands submitted by the PTI during the third round of talks, ultimately deciding against the formation of a judicial commission.
Officials say cases related to the May 9 incidents are already being pursued in court, making further investigations unnecessary.
“Judicial commissions cannot be constituted for cases that are subject to active legal proceedings,” a senior official said, rejecting PTI allegations regarding illegal detentions and political prisoners.
The PTI had submitted a detailed list of demands, including the establishment of two separate commissions under the Commission of Inquiry Act, 2017.
The first commission was to investigate the legality of Imran Khan’s arrest on May 9 and assess the circumstances leading to his detention.
The second aimed to investigate the violence that followed, including attacks on military installations, desecration of memorials and damage to public property.
The PTI also sought transparency by demanding that the commission’s proceedings be open to the public and the media. He called for the immediate release of political leaders and workers detained in connection with these incidents.
The government categorically declared that the May 9 incidents were part of a “premeditated plan to target military installations”, highlighting the attacks on the headquarters and the corps commander’s house in Lahore.
The government maintains that these acts of vandalism and arson were not spontaneous protests but deliberate attempts to undermine state institutions.
Sources confirm that the government’s negotiating team will provide a formal written response to the PTI during the fourth round of negotiations. However, a judicial commission’s rejection is expected to widen the divide between the two sides.
Amid reports of a definitive response from the government, Irfan Siddiqui, a member of the government’s negotiating team, denied the claims, calling them “baseless.” In a statement on social media, Siddiqui clarified: “Coalition parties are still in consultation, and a unified response could take another week to finalize. »
He dismissed speculation that the government had rejected the PTI’s demands without further deliberation, urging the media to avoid spreading false information.
The PTI had issued an ultimatum demanding the formation of the committees within seven days. As the deadline approached, party leaders warned they would break off negotiations if no progress was made. “If the government does not set up the commission, there will be no fourth meeting,” the PTI representatives said.
Meanwhile, the government insists that dialogue can only continue within the legal framework. This tough stance has added to growing uncertainty surrounding the outcome of the negotiations, with both sides refusing to compromise.
Defend national interest in negotiations with PTI, Nawaz tells PM
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif on Sunday urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to maintain supreme national interest in the ongoing negotiations with the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf ( PTI).
According to a statement issued by the ruling party, Shehbaz briefed the former prime minister and his elder brother about the process of the talks, as well as other important issues, including the current political and economic situation in the country.
According to Express News, the meeting took place at Jati Umra, which was also attended by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. The meeting lasted two hours, the report said, adding that Nawaz stressed the need for national unity in the current circumstances.
“We all need to work together for the country,” Nawaz said at the meeting, according to Express News. Regarding the talks with the PTI, Nawaz told Shehbaz Sharif to keep the country’s interest above all else in the negotiations.
According to the PML-N statement, important political and national issues were discussed in the meeting and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif briefed Nawaz Sharif about the political and economic situation of the country and consulted him on important issues.
During the discussions, top PML-N leaders were informed that the government’s efforts to address the country’s economic woes had borne fruit and inflation had come down significantly. “The meeting was informed that the situation is moving in a positive direction,” the statement said.
