ISLAMABAD: The government and the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party of former Prime Minister Imran Khan held the first round of formal negotiations on Monday in a bid to ease prolonged political tensions, with the PTI asked to present its demands in writing at the next session on Jan. 2.

Khan’s ouster in a parliamentary vote of no-confidence in 2022 has plunged the country into long-term political crisis, particularly since the PTI founder was jailed in August last year on corruption and other charges and remains behind bars. His party and supporters regularly hold protests calling for his release, with many of the demonstrations turning violent, including one last month in which the government says four troops were killed and the PTI says 12 of its supporters died. 

Khan has previously rejected talks with the government, saying his party would only talk to the ‘real powerbrokers’ in Pakistan, the all-powerful army, but earlier this month he set up a negotiating committee of top party leaders to open dialogue with the government for the fulfilment of two demands: the release of political prisoners and the establishment of judicial commissions to investigate protests on May 9 last year and Nov. 26 this year, which the government says involved his party supporters, accusing them of attacking military installations and government buildings. 

The talks open as Khan has threatened a civil dissidence movement and amid growing concerns he may face trial by a military court for allegedly inciting attacks on sensitive security installations during the May 9 protests.

“Since some members of the opposition could not join the talks today, we have decided to hold the next meeting on Jan. 2,” National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, who was chairing the meeting, said at the end of the first round of negotiations. “The opposition will also present a charter of demands in the meeting.”

He said the talks were held in a “cordial” environment, calling them vital to end “political polarization” in the country.

Senator Irfan Siddiqui, also from the government side, said both sides agreed parliament was the appropriate forum to resolve political differences and emphasized that the negotiation process should continue.

Speaking to the media after the talks, Khan’s close aide, Asad Qaiser, said the PTI team had asked the government to release all political prisoners, including the former prime minister, and form a judicial commission chaired by senior Supreme Court judges to probe the May 9 and Nov. 26 protests.

“We should be allowed to hold a meeting with Imran Khan,” Qaiser said. “He is our leader. We will move forward with his instructions.”

He said the government had said it would arrange the meeting but it was not clear when.

The negotiations came days after Pakistan’s military announced prison sentences for 25 people involved in the May 9 protests, which PTI has demanded be investigated. The PTI has also repeatedly said it fears the government and military will try Khan in army courts for the May 9 violence. He is already being tried for the violence in a civilian court.