May 9, November 26 events already investigated, probe can’t open again, says Sanaullah on PTI demands

Responding to PTI’s request for a judicial inquiry into the May 9 and November 26 incidents, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah said that both the incidents have already been investigated. However, in a press conference chaired by the chairman of the government’s negotiating committee, Senator Irfan Siddiqui, an adviser to the prime minister said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had formed a committee comprising all members of the ruling party to review the demands of the opposition party. The committee will respond to PTI on its demands, he added.  Earlier today, the PTI finally submitted its demands in writing, demanding an inquiry into the events of May 9, 2023 and November 26, 2024, as well as the release of “political prisoners”. The PTI’s ‘charter of demands’, available with Geo News, also mentions that unless the government sets up two separate commissions on incidents of violence, the party will not go ahead with talks. The third meeting between PTI founder Imran Khan and the government was held at the Parliament House under the chairmanship of National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq where demands were presented. “For now, I am presenting the original position on the demands,” Sanaullah said, adding that the PTI had demanded the release of its “political prisoners” and party founder Imran Khan. Talking about the PTI’s demands for a 9 May 2023 commission of inquiry headed by the chief justice, violent protests and 26 November 2024 crackdown on party workers, Sanaullah said that both matters have already been investigated. “The investigation into their demands cannot be resumed while [the matter] is in court,” he said. The prime minister’s aide also denigrated PTI’s claim that “hundreds of its workers were killed and disappeared” after the November 26 crackdown on protesters in Islamabad’s D-Chowk area. “In two-and-a-half months, they could not even find out how many of their workers were missing or injured. If hundreds of their workers had gone missing, their families would have staged a sit-in at D-Chowk.” he said. added. Moreover, Sanaullah said PTI did not even provide any details about its “political prisoners” or missing or killed workers. “We hope the decision on the £190 million case against the PTI founder and his wife will be announced tomorrow,” he said. PTI requirements The party demanded that the government form two commissions consisting of the Chief Justice of Pakistan or three judges of the Supreme Court of Pakistan to be mutually nominated by the PTI and the government within seven days. “The proceedings of the two commissions must be open to the general public and the media,” the party said in the document. The PTI called on the federal government as well as the governments of Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan to support the granting of bail or orders to suspend the conviction and sentencing of all political prisoners in accordance with the law. The party said it would identify political prisoners who were arrested after the events of May 9 and 24-24. November or after any other political event elsewhere. It also sought support for those who have been convicted and whose appeals or revisions are currently pending in court. The PTI had earlier outlined a total of 22 keys to the government, namely five demands regarding the formation of two commissions of inquiry. The party submitted nine applications in relation to the first commission of inquiry and seven applications in relation to the second commission. The demands include the release of nationally arrested political activists and the suspension of their sentences.