RAWALPINDI/PESHAWAR: Amidst ongoing speculation, former prime minister Imran Khan has affirmed that dialogue should remain an open channel for political solutions, giving new weight to reports that efforts are underway to reconcile his party with the establishment. While detained at Adiala Jail, Khan conveyed his willingness to engage in talks, but stressed that his release must be achieved through legal means, not a “deal.”
PTI Confirms Efforts Underway
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Gohar Ali Khan told the media after meeting with Imran Khan that the party founder is amenable to dialogue. He made it clear, however, that while talks are an option, Khan’s freedom would not come at the cost of a compromise, but through the legal process.
Adding to the confirmation, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, a senior PTI leader, acknowledged that attempts for reconciliation between the PTI and the establishment have been initiated for the sake of Imran Khan’s release. He revealed that some overseas Pakistanis had attempted to mediate on their own, but emphasized that any final decision rests solely with the party’s founder. “The key questions are: should there be talks or not, who should lead them, and under what terms of reference? These decisions lie only with the founder,” Gandapur said. He added that any such engagement would only proceed if Imran Khan himself nominates or agrees on a name for a mediator.
From the Jail: Directives and Endorsements
From his confinement, Imran Khan has also issued a series of directives to his party. According to Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, the PTI founder has instructed all lawmakers who resigned from standing committees to return their official vehicles, along with their drivers. He endorsed the party’s decision to boycott the by-elections and underscored the importance of building the Kalabagh Dam with the consensus of all provinces.
Gohar Ali Khan reported that he and Zaheer Abbas Chaudhry met with the former prime minister, who was in good spirits. Quashing rumors about his health, Imran Khan reportedly stated, “People are spreading rumors about my health, I am perfectly fine.” He also expressed grief over the recent earthquake in Afghanistan and instructed his party to provide full support to flood victims in Pakistan. The former prime minister also assigned K-P Chief Minister Gandapur the responsibility of holding a public rally in September.
Despite the challenges, the PTI leaders affirmed that Omar Ayub and Shibli Faraz remain the party’s leaders in the National Assembly and Senate, respectively, as their positions are secured by stay orders. Gohar Ali Khan lamented that while the PTI founder has sought dialogue for the past three years, the government’s committee has shown no seriousness in the matter.
