- Discussions held on terrorism, Afghanistan during meeting with Khan in jail: Advisor to KP CM
- PTI Information Secretary also dismisses reports and false claims
PESHAWAR/ISLAMABAD: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government spokesperson Barrister Saif on Thursday rubbished reports claiming Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan assigned him and KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur to negotiations with the establishment.
“Nobody was assigned to hold negations with the establishment by the PTI founder,” Barrister Saif stated while reacting to the speculations.
The statement comes as reports have been making rounds on the media that the jailed PTI founder tasked KP CM and Barrister Saif to “re-engage” with the establishment during a recent meeting between the former prime minister and the duo in Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail.
Following the April 2 meeting, reports emerged that the KP CM and his aide convinced the PTI founder to engage in talks, after which Khan granted them the task.
KP CM Gandapur met Khan at Adiala Jail on Wednesday after nearly one and a half months. The two spoke for two and a half hours, discussing “institutional confrontations and criticism of party leadership on social media”.
Barrister Saif informed that during their meeting with Khan, discussions were held on the government’s affairs, terrorism, and Afghanistan. The PTI leader stated that the former prime minister gave instructions to the KP CM regarding governance.
Quoting Khan, Saif said that he would not talk to anyone for personal gains including securing release from jail.
PTI rejects reports of negotiations
Meanwhile, PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram dismissed reports about the meeting, saying that false claims were being circulated.
“No one went to convince the PTI founder to negotiate,” he told a private TV channel, refuting that Khan had tasked anyone with talks.
He condemned efforts to twist facts for the government’s benefit and clarified that Khan’s discussion with Gandapur revolved around provincial government and party-related matters.
“Gandapur will present Khan’s directives before the party’s political committee,” Akram added.
Aleema irked
Meanwhile, Aleema Khan, PTI founder’s sister, expressed concerns over restricted access to her brother.
Reacting to the PTI leaders’ meeting with the ex-PM, Aleema lamented the selective enforcement of meeting restrictions, saying that jail authorities had categorically told them family meetings were not allowed during gazetted holidays.
“Yesterday, April 1, was a gazetted holiday, and we were not permitted to meet our brother. The last time we saw him was on March 20. On March 27, we were also denied access,” she said in a post on X.
Aleema further asked why others were granted access while family members were restricted.
“Are the gazetted holiday restrictions only for family? We have not been allowed to meet Imran, and he is also barred from speaking to his sons.”
