A third round of high-level talks between government representatives and the Insaaf (Justice) Committee over the killing of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota ended without a breakthrough, as key political demands remain unresolved.

Special Investigation Team (SIT) officials led by senior administrator Apneet Riyat agreed to 12 of the committee’s demands during the marathon meeting, including providing family security and banning over-the-counter sales of the prescription nerve drug pregabalin without a physician's prescription. State representatives also assured the panel that a planned trauma centre in Khyala would eventually bear Jhota’s name once constructed, though the committee rejected the conditional timeline, demanding an immediate commitment.

Talks stalled primarily over the committee’s firm demand for the resignations of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and the state's Director General of Police. State negotiators said granting political resignations fell outside their administrative authority.

In response, the Insaaf Committee — led by Jhota’s widow, Manpreet Kaur, along with Manik Goyal and Gurjant Singh — insisted future negotiations occur solely with a body empowered to fulfill all demands, such as the Punjab cabinet. Kaur emphasized that seeking top-level resignations is a direct demand from the family and committee based on moral accountability, rejecting claims that opposition political parties are driving the requirement.

The committee criticized the state assembly for offering a routine obituary tribute to Jhota rather than holding a full legislative debate on drug trafficking and the killing. Demonstrators have called for statewide broom-burning protests on Sunday, Oct. 25, and vowed to continue their agitation until all demands are met.