NA speaker calls govt-opposition meeting on Jan 28th
• PTI boycotts talks over delay in formation of judicial commissions on May 9, Nov 26 events
• Barrister Gohar says negotiations have to be called off due to ‘non-cooperation from govt’
• Govt warns it won’t consider party’s demands if it refuses to join dialogue process
ISLAMABAD: Despite the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI) refusal to attend the fourth round of talks with the government, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has called the next meeting of the dialogue committee on Jan 28.
At the same time, the government has toughened its stance, warning that it would no longer consider PTI’s demands regarding the formation of judicial commissions on May 9, 2023, and Nov 26, 2024, incidents or the release of PTI leaders and workers, if the opposition party does not join the talks.
According to a press release issued by the National Assembly Secretariat, the meeting is scheduled to be held at 11:45am in Committee Room 5 at Parliament House, with Speaker Ayaz Sadiq presiding over the session.
Senator Irfan Siddiqui, a member of the government’s negotiation team, told reporters that the government was not bound to respond to PTI’s demands if the opposition party boycotted the talks.
“We will not call the PTI again for the meeting if the party does not want to join the dialogue process,” he added.
He said the government was serious about addressing PTI’s demands, but the party suddenly decided to leave the negotiation process. “We do not have much time to wait for the PTI,” he said.
Earlier, PTI decided to boycott the fourth round of talks, a day after it announced that party founder Imran Khan issued directions to call off negotiations due to a delay over the formation of judicial commissions.
The PTI and the government had been engaged in talks to bring down political temperatures. After two rounds of meetings, the third round was held seven days ago (Jan 16) in which the PTI formally presented its demands in writing.
Despite weeks of negotiations, the dialogue process has hardly moved forward on major issues — the formation of judicial commissions and the release of PTI prisoners.
On Monday, the government assured the PTI of a response to the opposition’s ‘charter of demands’ within seven working days after the party warned it would boycott the next round of talks if judicial commissions were not formed to investigate the May 9 and Nov 26 incidents.
On Friday, speaking at a press conference outside the Parliament House, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, flanked by PTI leaders Omar Ayub Khan, Shibli Faraz and Ali Mohammad Khan, said that Imran Khan had approved negotiations despite the long charge sheet against him and the party.
“The (stipulated) days have passed, but the government has not announced the formation of judicial commissions even after (the deadline passed) yesterday,” he said, adding that the negotiations ended because the government was “not serious at any stage”.
“We presented them with simple demands during the negotiations. What was wrong with announcing the formation of a judicial commission?” he questioned.
On Thursday, Mr Gohar said the government had promised to form the requested judicial commissions within seven days, but it failed to do so. “The PTI founder has asked the party to call off the talks over the government’s failure to form judicial commissions,” he said.
He added that the PTI was hopeful of continuing the talks, but they have to be called off due to “non-cooperation from the government”.
‘Hasty lawmaking’ criticised
The PTI leaders also criticised the recent legislative activity in Parliament, alleging that eight laws were passed within 11 minutes without debate. Mr Gohar claimed that 37 bills were pushed through in a similar fashion, many of which were later rejected by the President.
“According to the Constitution, laws are passed considering the objection of the president,” he said. “Even in India, the session lasts for six hours. The world will remember how the house (in Pakistan) was run this year.”
The PTI also condemned the recent amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca), passed by the National Assembly a day earlier. Senator Shibli Faraz described the legislation as a “black law against freedom of expression”, accusing the government of stifling dissent and curbing media freedoms.
The bill was passed in the National Assembly a day ago, following which journalists staged a walkout from the press gallery in protest.
Mr Faraz said the amendments were meant to push media representatives into the dark, adding that efforts were being made to suppress people’s voices.
“And then they [the government] complain about people not investing in Pakistan. How can people invest here when such laws are being passed?” he said.
He said that senators and MNAs were silent on the passage of the amendment bills. “They are enjoying their positions based on a fake mandate. That’s why they don’t care about the people.”
Omar Ayub Khan echoed these concerns, warning that online businesses would suffer under the new provisions. Opposition lawmakers from JUI-F also opposed the amendments.
PTI urged to reconsider
Addressing reporters on Thursday, Senator Irfan Siddiqui urged the PTI to reconsider its decision to boycott the talks, emphasising the need for political stability.
“I cannot understand the reason for the PTI’s threat to abandon talks,” he said. The two sides had already agreed to give the government time to furnish its formal written response to the PTI’s demands, he said, adding that the deadline was not yet up.
“I don’t have the words except that they were in a hurry to arrive and are in a hurry to depart. We ask them to stay for a few days and not go back; let the weather become pleasant,” Mr Siddiqui said.
He said the coalition parties had “almost” formed an opinion on the PTI’s demands. “They should reconsider if it is in their power and if they can form an opinion apart from their founder’s opinion,” he added.
Published in Dawn, January 25th, 2025