PTI leaders demand unrestricted access to Imran Khan before talks with government

Islamabad: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders on Tuesday demanded unrestricted access to jailed former Prime Minister and party founder Imran Khan as a precondition for engaging in the next round of talks with the government.

The government and PTI teams have held two rounds of talks so far and the third one is expected this week to address political differences in order to stabilise the political situation in the country.

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, its opposition leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan, party secretary general Salman Akram Raja, and senior leader Shibli Faraz jointly addressed a press conference.

Gohar said a third meeting would only occur once the Khan was allowed to meet with them. He clarified that the negotiations were not about striking a deal but were for the people, urging that no delay should occur in the draft of the negotiations.

He said PTI had opened the door for dialogue after a long period, yet over 200 cases had been filed against the party’s leadership. He also referred to the violence faced by PTI workers, many of whom were still missing.

Gohar declared that the party had started negotiations based on two demands, including release of all prisoners and probe commission for the events of May 9, 2023 and Nov 26, 2024.

Omar Ayub also insisted on a meeting with Khan, stressing that there had been no response from the government. He expressed dissatisfaction with the government’s failure to facilitate a meeting without conditions.

“We submitted a demand during our last meeting with the government to let us meet Imran Khan in an unmonitored and unfettered way, in which there is no monitoring of intelligence agencies,” he said, adding the present conditions of the room in Adiala Jail where meetings with Khan took place were “not conducive to free and open talks.”

“The government’s seriousness regarding the negotiations will be seen by enabling our meeting in an unrestricted environment by giving unfettered access to Imran because we will take our instructions from there,” he said.

Salman Akram Raja said that Khan was committed to being the last person to seek release from jail and that he desired the freedom of all prisoners. He stated that the party could not simply overlook the bloodshed and would pursue justice.

He reiterated that PTI was part of the negotiation process to lead the state toward welfare, but he noted a lack of similar intentions from the other side.

Following the political turmoil in 2024, Khan allowed his party to hold talks with the government and 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 Khan to finalise their list of demands.

The two sides are likely to meet again this week.