PTI Calls for CJP-Led Commissions to Investigate May 9 and Nov 26 Incidents
ISLAMABAD: Following considerable discussion, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) submitted its formal requests on Thursday. The requests call for investigations into the events of May 9, 2023, and November 26, 2024, as well as the release of individuals deemed to be “political prisoners.”
Geo News obtained the ‘Charter of Demands’ from PTI, which states that the party will halt negotiations if the government does not establish two distinct commissions to investigate the violent incidents.
The third discussion between the PTI, founded by Imran Khan, and the government was held at the Parliament House, under the guidance of National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, where the demands were put forth.
The PTI was represented by NA Opposition Leader Omar Ayub, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, former NA Speaker Asad Qaiser, the party’s Secretary-General Salman Akram Raja, Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) Chairman Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, and Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) chief Sahibzada Hamid Raza.
The government’s delegation comprises Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, PM’s Adviser Rana Sanaullah, Senator Irfan Siddiqui, PPP leaders Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Naveed Qamar, MQM-P lawmaker Farooq Sattar, and Khalid Magsi from the Balochistan Awami Party.
In the three-page document, the PTI expressed that the party and its allies have faced significant challenges and that their leader, Khan, and thousands of supporters have encountered “unjustified imprisonment.”
The document includes the signatures of all six members of the PTI’s negotiation committee, which features CM Gandapur, ex-speaker Qaiser, Secretary-General Raja, MWM head Allama Abbas, and SIC’s Raza.
It states that the party engaged in discussions with the “government installed in Islamabad” to continue advocating for the people’s rights. “The Charter of Demands serves as a prerequisite for broader negotiations concerning the restoration of the Constitution, the establishment of the rule of law, and the honoring of the people’s mandate for free and fair elections.”
According to the PTI’s requests, the two commissions should be headed by the Chief Justice of Pakistan or three Supreme Court judges mutually chosen by the former ruling party and the current government. In the prior two meetings, the first occurring on December 27, 2024, and the second on January 2, 2025, the party refrained from presenting its demands while awaiting Khan’s approval.
However, after considerable effort, the PTI negotiators were eventually permitted to consult with the PTI founder, who provided thorough guidance from his location in Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail, allowing them to finalize their demands accordingly. NA Speaker Sadiq conveyed to the media after the negotiation committees convened that the opposition shared and articulated their written demands during the session.
He also remarked that the PTI sought an additional meeting between their leader and the committee, noting that the negotiations are advancing positively.
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Siddiqui, the spokesperson for the government committee, stated that the government committee would give a written reply to PTI’s demands the government committee would provide within a week. He mentioned that PTI leader Ayub submitted the list of written demands to the speaker and recited them during the meeting.
Siddiqui also disclosed that PTI has requested a meeting with their leader in Adiala Jail. He added that the NA speaker would announce the next session date for the negotiation committees NA speaker would announce. Both committees expressed their trust in the speaker, Siddiqui noted.
PTI’s demands
The party has insisted that the government establish two commissions, one of which will include either the Chief Justice of Pakistan or three current Supreme Court judges. The commissions will be jointly selected by the PTI and the government within a week.
The party stated in the document that “the proceedings of the two Commissions must be accessible to the public and the media. ”
The PTI has urged the federal government, along with the governments of Punjab, Sindh, and Balochistan, to follow legal protocols and assist in approving bail or issuing orders to suspend the convictions and sentences of all political detainees.
The party noted that it would pinpoint the political prisoners detained after the May 9 and November 24 incidents or any other political occurrences elsewhere.
It also called for support for those individuals who have been convicted and whose appeals or revisions are currently pending in court.
Overall, the PTI has detailed 22 specific demands to the government, particularly five requests regarding the establishment of two inquiry commissions.
The party outlined nine demands related to the first inquiry commission and seven concerning the second commission.
The demands include the release of political activists arrested across the country and the suspension of their sentences.
First commission
According to the document, the first commission will be responsible for conducting a thorough investigation into the legality of the circumstances that led to Khan’s arrest on May 9, 2023.
The commission will also look into the legality of how the arrest was conducted and those accountable for the breach of the Islamabad High Court premises—where Khan was detained—by the Rangers and police.
Furthermore, the events that transpired nationwide following Khan’s arrest, mainly how groups of individuals could access various high-security sites that allegedly sustained damage, should also be scrutinized, as stated by the PTI.
Investigations should include reviewing CCTV footage at each site where damage allegedly occurred due to protesters. If footage is unavailable, the reasons for this absence need to be established.
The document noted that the process of how individuals arrested in connection with the May 9 events were taken into custody and subsequently released, as well as the conditions of their detention, should also be investigated.
Did the authorities infringe on the human rights of these individuals, potentially including torture? How were the lists of individuals to be arrested created and determined?
An inquiry should also be conducted into whether multiple FIRs were submitted against the same person regarding May 9, 2023, and whether sequential arrests were conducted as an abuse of legal procedures.
The PTI called for an investigation into incidents of media censorship, limitations on reporting concerning the incident, and the harassment journalists face.
“Assess the legal authority and validity of the government’s implementation of internet shutdowns and their effects before, during, and after the unrest, and assign accountability.”
The second commission should be directed to conduct a comprehensive inquiry into the events that occurred from November 24 to 27, 2024, in Islamabad—when the party, led by KP CM Gandapur and Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi, marched to the capital.
The PTI requested an investigation into whether live ammunition was fired and other forms of physical violence were inflicted upon the protesters in Islamabad.
“If so, who authorized the use of live ammunition and other violent actions against the demonstrators? To what degree was the force used excessive? If so, who is accountable for the excessive force?”
The number of fatalities and injuries, along with the individuals who went missing after the November protest, should be disclosed, as demanded by the PTI.
According to the document, the commission should also investigate and verify the status of the CCTV recordings at the various hospitals and medical facilities in Islamabad during the specified period.
Additionally, it should be examined whether hospital records and other medical facility documents were tampered with and, if so, under whose orders and directives this occurred. “Were hospitals restricted from providing information regarding deaths and injuries?”
“Investigate and confirm the condition of the CCTV footage captured at various locations from China Chowk to D Chowk in the Blue Area, Islamabad.”
The party further demanded that inquiries be made into the challenges faced by individuals attempting to file FIRs and take other legal actions related to the events of November 24 to 27.
It emphasized that the second commission should also assess media censorship and restrictions on reporting on the incident, including the harassment of journalists.
“[It should also] evaluate the legal authority and validity of the government’s imposition of internet shutdowns and their impact before, during, and after the unrest while assigning accountability.”
