ISLAMABAD: Irfan Siddiqui, Spokesperson of the Government Negotiation Committee, on Thursday strongly rejected PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan’s statement regarding politicizing the security meeting in Peshawar.
Accompanied by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah, they expressed dismay at Gohar’s statement, saying the PTI leader had weakened his own negotiating team. Siddiqui pointed out that “there is no direct dialogue between the PTI and other parties, except the government’s negotiating team”.
Irfan Siddiqui compared the charter of demands presented by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to a charge sheet against the current government, calling it a “bunch of allegations” based largely on baseless allegations.
He said that the government’s negotiating committee will issue a formal written response to PTI’s demands within seven working days after consulting its allies.
The government believes that negotiations should proceed without the pressure of deadlines. However, to maintain a constructive dialogue, “we have agreed on a response date of January 26 or 27,” Siddiqui said. The PTI’s reaction to the government’s response is yet to be seen, but Siddiqui stressed that the focus should be on achieving concrete results rather than strictly adhering to timelines.
Siddiqui further clarified that the government committee comprising representatives of seven parties will consult their respective leadership before finalizing the answer to PTI’s demands. He emphasized that due to legal obstacles, certain issues, especially pending cases, could not be discussed during the negotiations. “According to the constitution, cases under judicial consideration cannot be part of these discussions,” he explained.
A major point of contention is the PTI’s demand for a commission to probe the May 9 and November 27 incidents. Siddiqui said the government would consider the proposal carefully and examine all aspects before taking a decision. will PTI has proposed 15 terms of reference (TORs) for setting up two commissions.
Siddiqui hinted that if the commission is formed, the government will also add its conditions to the TORs.
In an effort to foster a positive atmosphere, Siddiqui indicated that the government does not view PTI’s recent media statements as a hindrance despite their controversial nature. He revealed that a meeting with the founder chairman of PTI has been agreed and will take place in a favorable environment in the coming days.
