ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – The leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), Abdullah Ocalan, has asked the pro-Kurdish People’s Equality and Democracy Party’s (DEM Party) Imrali delegation to change the Turkish party's name and political approach following the PKK’s disbandment, a DEM Party MP told The New Region.

The party’s name and model of political work are set to be changed due to the peace process between Ankara and the PKK, DEM Party MP Mehmet Kamac told The New Region on Thursday, adding that they will try to “hold congress soon and start working with the party’s new politics.”

The matter has yet to be discussed internally within the party, fellow DEM Party MP Omer Faruk Gergerlioglu told The New Region, noting that any prospective changes will come based on Ocalan's request.

The party is set to establish a communication line with the Imrali prison island, where Ocalan is held, and devise a “new roadmap” going forward, sources within the party tell The New Region.

The PKK are set to commence their disarmament process in a ceremony in the Kurdistan Region’s Sulaimani on Friday, coming after a historic address by the jailed PKK leader in February that called upon the Kurdish militants to lay down arms and pursure their aims through peaceful means. In his message, Ocalan asserted that it was time for the Kurdish struggle to transition to a dialogue-based, democratic, and political arena.

Ocalan’s call came after months of deliberation and efforts by the DEM Party to advance a peace proposal broached by prominent Turkish politician Devlet Bahceli.

The PKK announced it would heed the imprisoned leader's call at the militant group's 12th Congress in early May, bringing an end to a multi-decade armed campaign against the Turkish state.

The DEM Party has since held several meetings with authorities in Turkey, including twice with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in addition to multiple visits to the Imrali prison island to meet with Ocalan. A delegation from the Party is currently in the Kurdistan Region to attend the ceremony of the PKK’s handover of arms.