Govt braces for PTI’s ‘mandate demand’ as party ‘faces hurdles’ in meeting jailed Imran

• Rana Sanaullah likens Feb 8 elections to 2018 polls.
• “Politicians must decide about free and fair elections.”
• PTI demands meeting with jailed Imran for consultation.
  

ISLAMABAD: Amid ongoing talks between the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and the government, the federal government on Monday said that the PTI was bound to demand its mandate, which the party claims was “stolen” during the February 8 general elections, with the opposition castigating authorities for “not allowing” meeting with incarcerated party founder Imran Khan.

“Whether now or later, PTI will definitely demand its mandate,” Prime minister’s aide on political affairs Rana Sanaullah said while speaking on Geo News programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’.

After months of a political tug-of-war, the coalition government and the embattled PTI finally sat down to defuse tensions, with the Khan-founded party initially putting forth two initial demands: the release of all political prisoners and a judicial probe into the events of May 9 and November 26.

During the second round of talks — being held under chairmanship of National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, the PTI negotiation team sought frequent meetings with party founder Imran Khan to finalise the “charter of demands”.

While the PTI has been quite vocal about its key demands — the release of political prisoners and a judicial probe into the events of May 9, 2023 and November 26 crackdown — it could not share these demands with the government committee in writing.

Meanwhile, The News reported that the talks faced a stalemate with sources attributing to the PTI negotiators’ failure to meet their jailed party founder and present written demands to the government.

The opposition claimed that they have not been allowed to meet Khan by Adiala jail authorities, while the government cited the former ruling party’s inability to present a written charter of demand leading to the NA speaker’s hesitance in calling a third meeting, added the sources.

Responding to a question, Sanaullah — in today’s programme — likened the February 8 general elections to 2018 elections, stressing that the politicians “must sit together and take decision to hold free and fair elections.” After 2018, he said, the PML-N was ready to sit down with the PTI founder.

When asked about the opposition’s claims of “hindrance” in meeting with Imran, the PML-N leader said that only those who “have access can obstruct the meeting”, expressing hope that the committee would be able to meet the PTI founder tomorrow morning.

“The reason for the delay in the meeting may be due to arrangements so that the committee does not raise any objection again,” he added.

In response to a question, the PM’s aide said that they too wanted the negotiations to remain unaffected by whatever the decision comes in Al-Qadir Trust case.

Speaking on the same programme, Imran’s lawyer — Faisal Chaudhry — said that some elements were attempting to sabotage the negotiations. “We want to move ahead in serious manner,” he said, asking the government to allow PTI negotiation committee to meet jailed founder.

The Imran Khan-founded party has already given an ultimatum that talks should conclude by the end of the ongoing month.

The talks were being held in the wake of the former ruling party’s announcement of a civil disobedience movement if their demands go unmet. The jailed PTI founder last month called on his supporters to launch the anti-government movement by withholding remittances in the first phase.