PTI’s senior leader and negotiating committee member Asad Qaiser refrains from providing written demands.
ISLAMABAD ( WEB NEWS )
Asad Qaiser stated, “The points we discussed during the meetings have been documented in ‘minutes’ and should be considered as written demands. Whether or not to provide the document is just a ‘formality.'” Ex speaker disclosed in an interview with a private TV channel.
After this statement, new questions have emerged regarding the negotiations. Political analysts have interpreted Qaiser’s remarks as setting “new conditions,” suggesting that PTI has backtracked from its earlier commitments in the first two rounds of negotiations. In the joint statements from those meetings, PTI leaders had promised to provide written demands to the government’s negotiating committee.
Qaiser also mentioned that meetings should be arranged with not only Imran Khan but also other jailed PTI leaders. Initially, PTI’s negotiating team had set the condition to meet only Imran Khan. Furthermore, PTI now insists that the government committee should bring the real decision-makers and stakeholders on board, as PTI claims it is unclear what their views are. They argue that only involving the stakeholders will allow for a clear agreement without ambiguities.
Qaiser emphasized that the PTI committee is merely facilitating and coordinating the process, and the final decisions must be made by Imran Khan. Therefore, continuous meetings with Imran Khan and other leaders must be arranged; otherwise, PTI will not continue in the process.
Political analysts believe this statement could lead to a deadlock in negotiations, and the possibility of the next meeting taking place has become uncertain. Government committee spokesperson Senator Irfan Siddiqui has already stated that if PTI fails to submit its demands in writing as promised, the negotiations could face difficulties.