ISLAMABAD: The PTI has consented to prolong the deadline for negotiations with the government past January 31.
The ultimatum was made public by the PTI leadership last month after a meeting with Imran Khan, the party’s imprisoned founder.
The PTI and government committees established for this purpose have held two rounds of discussions thus far.
The PTI has called for a judicial investigation into the May 9, 2023, and November 26, 2024 protests, as well as the release of Mr. Khan and other party officials who are currently behind bars.
Since the last meeting on January 2, the discussions have reportedly stalled. According to sources, the parties were unable to agree on the dialogue’s protocols, and PTI’s demand for “unmonitored” access to Mr. Khan’s prison has become a new point of disagreement.
There were concerns that negotiations would fail because PTI’s deadline was 20 days away.
However, PTI leader Shibli Faraz stated that it was “not a big deal” and that negotiations may continue into January 31 when appearing on the DawnNewsTV show Dusra Rukh.
In the Friday show, Mr. Faraz stated, “The deadline is still 20 days away, and by that time, it would become clearer which way the dialogues are headed.”
The PTI leader stated that a few-day extension of the deadline won’t be a major problem if there are “positive developments” in the negotiations.
PTI employees are granted bail.
153 PTI employees who were detained during the party’s demonstrations in November 2024 have been granted post-arrest bail by an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC).
The reserved ruling regarding the bail petitions of 177 workers was announced by ATC Judge Abual Mohammad Hasanat Zulqarnain on Friday.
The judge denied 24 workers’ bail requests.
The ruling was made one day after the parties wrapped up their arguments on Thursday. The bail was issued in exchange for Rs 5,000 surety guarantees for each person.
According to information, 43 of the 48 people detained by the Karachi Company police station in Islamabad were granted bail, while five applications were denied.
Two of the seven males the Tarnol police station detained were released on bond, while the other five were not. Ten people were arrested by the I-9 police station; nine of them were given bail, while one application was denied.
Additionally, 29 of the accused who were detained by the Kohsar police station were granted bail by the judge, while five were refused.
Three of the eight people detained by the Ramna police station were released on bond, while the other five were not.
The Ramna and Margalla police stations booked the other defendants who were given bail.
The PTI employees were taken into custody following demonstrations that the police deemed to be disruptive and illegal near D-Chowk in Islamabad.
