Siddiqui lashes out at PTI for 'politicizing' Army Chief meeting

ISLAMABAD: The spokesperson for the government’s negotiation committee Irfan Siddiqui, on Thursday strongly rejected PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan’s statement about the politicization of the security-related meeting in Peshawar, ARY News reported.

Accompanied by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah, he expressed disappointment over Gohar’s statement, arguing that the PTI leader had undermined his own negotiating team. “No direct talks are being held between PTI and other parties, except with the government’s negotiating team,” Siddiqui pointed out.

Irfan Siddiqui, compared the charter of demands presented by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to a charge sheet against the current government, calling it a “pack of accusations” largely based on unfounded allegations.

He stated that the government negotiation committee, after consulting with its coalition partners, would issue a formal written response to PTI’s demands within seven working days.

The government believes that negotiations should proceed without the pressure of deadlines. However, to maintain a constructive dialogue, “we have agreed a response deadline for January 26 or 27,” said Siddiqui. The PTI’s reaction to the government’s response is yet to be seen, but Siddiqui stressed that the focus should remain on achieving tangible outcomes, rather than adhering strictly to timelines.

Siddiqui further clarified that the government committee, composed of representatives from seven parties, will consult with their respective leaderships before finalizing the response to PTI’s demands. He underscored that certain issues, particularly sub judice cases, cannot be discussed during the negotiations due to legal constraints. “As per the Constitution, cases under judicial consideration cannot be part of these discussions,” he explained.

One of the key points of contention is PTI’s demand for the formation of a commission to investigate the May 9 and November 27 incidents, Siddiqui stated that the government would consider the proposal carefully and evaluate all aspects before making a decision. PTI has proposed 15 terms of reference (TORs) for the creation of two commissions.

Siddiqui indicated that if a commission is formed, the government would also include its own conditions in the TORs.

In a bid to foster a positive atmosphere, Siddiqui indicated that the government does not view recent media statements from PTI as a hindrance, despite their contentious nature. He revealed that a meeting with PTI’s founder Chairman had been agreed upon and would take place in the coming days, in a conducive environment.

Responding to questions about PTI’s recent narrative, Siddiqui accused the opposition party of spreading falsehoods. He claimed PTI had failed to substantiate their claims regarding fatalities, injuries, and missing persons, particularly related to the Nov 26 incidents. “They have exaggerated the number of missing persons to the hundreds without providing any evidence or names. How can we trace people without any concrete information?” he asked.