Pakistan Tehreek-s-Insaf demands CJP-led probe into May 9, 2023, Nov 26, 2024 events, political prisoners’ release

ISLAMABAD, Jan 16 (SABAH): The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PIT) on Thursday finally presented its demands in writing, seeking probes into the May 9, 2023, and November 26, 2024 events, as well as the release of “political prisoners”.

PTI’s ‘Charter of Demands’, also mentions that if the government fails to constitute two separate commissions on the violent events, the party will not continue the negotiations.

The third meeting between the Imran Khan-founded PTI and the government took place at the Parliament House under National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq’s leadership, where the demands were presented.

NA Opposition Leader Omar Ayub Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, former NA speaker Asad Qaiser, party’s Secretary-General Salman Akram Raja, Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) Chairman Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, and Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) Chief Sahibzada Muhammad Hamid Raza represented the PTI.

Whereas, the government’s team include Deputy Prime Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, PM’s Adviser Rana Sanaullah Khan, Senator Irfan Siddiqui, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leaders Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Syed Naveed Qamar, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) lawmaker Dr. Farooq Sattar and Balochistan Awami Party lawmaker Khalid Magsi.

In the three-page document, the PTI mentioned that the party and its allies have traveled through “blood and gore” and their leader Imran Khan and thousands of our supporters have faced “unjustified imprisonment”.

The party’s written demands bear the signature of all six members of the PTI’s negotiation committee including CM Gandapur, ex-speaker Qaiser, Secretary-General Raja, MWM head Allama Abbas, and SIC’s Raza represented the PTI.

The document mentioned that the party entered into negotiations with the “government installed in Islamabad” in order to take the fight for the people’s rights onwards.

“The Charter of Demands is presented as a prerequisite to wider negotiations with respect to the restoration of the Constitution, the rule of law and respect for the people’s mandate, free and fair elections.”

In the previous two rounds, with the first taking place on December 27, 2024 followed by a second session on January 2, 2025, the party did not present its demands as they awaited Khan’s nod.

However, after much ado, the PTI negotiators were allowed to meet the PTI founder — behind bars at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail — who gave them comprehensive instructions, based on which their demands were finalised.

NA Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, speaking to the media following the meeting of the negotiation committees, said the opposition presented its written demands and read them out during the session.

He added that the PTI requested another meeting between their leader and the committee. The speaker also noted that the negotiations are progressing in a positive direction.

He said both sides agreed during the meeting that the government’s committee would present its stance on the demands in writing within seven working days.

Irfan Siddiqui, the spokesperson for the government committee, said the government committee would provide a written response to PTI’s demands within seven days.

According to him, PTI leader Omar Ayub presented the list of written demands to the speaker and also read them aloud during the meeting.

Irfan Siddiqui further revealed that PTI has demanded a meeting with their leader in Adiala Jail. He added that the next date for the negotiation committees’ session would be announced by the NA speaker.

Both committees expressed their confidence in the speaker, Siddiqui noted.

Irfan Siddiqui said Speaker National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq will announce the date of next meeting after consulting both the treasury and the opposition.

Speaking on the occasion, Speaker National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq said the meeting was held in a pleasant environment and the dialogue is moving in right direction.

He said Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also briefed both the committees about the Palestine ceasefire.

The party has demanded that the government form two commissions —which will comprise the Chief Justice of Pakistan or three serving judges of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, mutually nominated by the PTI and the government within seven days.

“The conduct of the proceedings of the two Commissions must be open to the general public as well as the media,” the party mentioned in the document.

The PTI has called upon the federal government, as well as the governments of Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan to support, in accordance with the law, the grant of bail or orders suspending the conviction and sentence of all political prisoners.

The party said that it would identify the political prisoners, who were arrested following the events of May 9 and November 24 to 24 or any other political event elsewhere.

It also sought support for those who have been convicted and whose appeals or revisions are presently pending before a court of law.

The PTI has overall outlined a total of 22 key before before the government, specifically putting forward five demands concerning the formation of two inquiry commissions.

The party presented nine demands in connection with the first inquiry commission, and seven demands related to the second commission.

Among the demands are the release of political activists arrested nationwide and the suspension of their sentences.

As per the document, the first commission will be tasked to conduct an in-depth inquiry into the legality of the events that led to the arrest of Khan on May 9, 2023.

The commission will also investigate the legality of the manner of the arrest and those responsible for the break-in into the premises of the Islamabad High Court — from where Khan was arrested — by the Rangers and the police.

The events across the country after the arrest of Khan, in particular the circumstances in which groups of individuals were able to reach various high-security locations at which damage to property is said to have been caused, should also be investigated, the PTI said.

CCTV recordings at each location where damage is said to have been caused by protesters should be probed and if CCTV footage is not available, the causes of this lack of availability should be determined.

The manner in which those arrested in connection with the events of May 9 were apprehended and then kept in custody as well as the circumstances of their release should be inquired, the document said.

Did the authorities violate the human rights of these individuals, including through torture? How were the lists of those to be arrested compiled and determined?

It should also be inquired whether multiple FIRs were registered against the same individual with respect to May 9, 2023, and sequential arrests carried out in abuse of the process of the law.

The PTI demanded an inquiry into instances of media censorship, restrictions on reporting related to the incident, and the harassment of journalists.

“Examine the vires and legality of government’s imposition of internet shutdowns and its impact before, during and after the unrest and fix responsibility.”

This second body should be tasked to carry out an in-depth inquiry into the events of November 24 to 27, 2024 in Islamabad — the days when the party, led by KP CM Gandapur and Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi, marched to Islamabad.

The PTI demanded that it should be inquired that was there firing of live ammunition and other forms of physical assault on the protesters in Islamabad.

“If so, who ordered the use of live ammunition and other violent actions against the protesters? To what extent was the use of force excessive? If so, who was responsible for the excessive use of force?”

The number of people killed and the injured and of the persons who went missing after the November protest should be brought to light, the PTI demanded.

The commission should also examine and ascertain the state of the CCTV recordings at the various hospitals and medical facilities in Islamabad with respect to the said period, the document mentioned.

Moreover, it should be probed whether the records of hospitals and other medical facilities tampered with, if so, under whose directions and command was this done? “Were the hospitals prevented from releasing information about the fatalities and the injuries?”

“Examine and ascertain the state of the CCTV footage recorded at the various premises from China Chowk to D Chowk in the Blue Area, Islamabad.”

The party also demanded that it should be inquired what difficulties were faced by those seeking to register FIRs and initiate other legal action with respect to the events of November 24 to 27.

The second commission should also review media censorship and restrictions on reporting related to the incident, including the harassment of journalists, it added.

“[It should also] examine the vires and legality of the government’s imposition of internet shutdowns and its impact before, during and after the unrest and fix responsibility.”