On Monday, the opposition party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) dismissed reports that former first lady Bushra Bibi was leading backdoor talks with key government figures to secure relief for her husband, Imran Khan’s party.
PTI also urged the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government to facilitate a meeting between its negotiation committee and the incarcerated leader, Imran Khan, to finalize its demands. The two committees are expected to meet later this week for a crucial third round of discussions, where PTI plans to present its demands in writing.
Chairman of PTI, Gohar Ali Khan, refuted claims that Bushra Bibi was involved in any negotiations, calling the reports incorrect. He emphasized that PTI was not engaging in any secret talks and that their committee, formed by Imran Khan, was only holding discussions with the ruling alliance. He also noted that the PTI committee had already held two meetings, with no other talks occurring.
The party’s demands include the release of all political prisoners and the creation of a judicial commission to investigate the violent events of May 9 and November 26. Khan had earlier set a deadline of January 31 for an outcome from the dialogue.
Recently, unverified media reports suggested that Bushra Bibi, while staying in Peshawar, had been in contact with powerful figures to initiate talks. However, in comments made at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, Imran Khan rejected this claim, stating that it was mere propaganda and confirming that only the PTI negotiation committee was handling the discussions. He further expressed frustration with the lack of progress in the talks, especially regarding the issue of PTI’s missing protestors from November 26, a situation that the government denies.
In a separate statement, PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram criticized the PML-N government, accusing them of doubting PTI’s sincerity in the negotiations. He attributed the lack of progress to the government’s coercive tactics and lack of seriousness in addressing the talks. Akram also warned the government to control members within its own ranks who were attempting to derail the negotiations and causing obstacles.
Akram also raised concerns over the accountability court’s unexpected delay in delivering a verdict in the £190 million Al-Qadir Trust case against Khan and his wife, blaming the delay on the unavailability of the judge. He suggested that the government was deliberately exploiting the judicial system to prolong Khan’s detention, even though there were no valid grounds for his imprisonment.
He called on the government to honor its commitment and ensure the prompt facilitation of a meeting between PTI’s negotiation team and Imran Khan, emphasizing the need to avoid confusion and work towards resolving the country’s political impasse.
