LAHORE: Senior politician and former federal minister Muhammad Ali Durrani has suggested that President Asif Ali Zardari could play a key role in facilitating the possible transfer of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for medical procedure.
In an interview, Durrani said relations between the government and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) were currently functioning on a “quid pro quo” basis, with Nawaz Sharif actively facilitating backchannel dialogue.
He added that senior PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah was also playing a constructive role in reconciliation efforts on Nawaz Sharif’s behalf.
Referring to remarks made by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari at the death anniversary of former premier Benazir Bhutto, Durrani said President Zardari had been quietly working to promote political reconciliation, while Nawaz Sharif was engaging opposition forces to move the process forward.
According to Durrani, reconciliation efforts by Zardari and the Pakistan Muslim League-N leadership were beginning to yield tangible results.
However, he criticised the government’s handling of Imran Khan’s medical issues, calling for accountability over alleged negligence in addressing Imran Khan’s health and eye treatment. Flexibility on humanitarian grounds, he argued, would serve the broader national interest.
On parliamentary politics, Durrani claimed that veteran politician Mahmood Khan Achakzai secured the opposition leader’s position in the National Assembly with Nawaz Sharif’s backing, asserting that such an outcome would not have been possible without the PML-N chief’s support.
He observed that as long as Imran Khan remains behind bars, the popularity of ruling parties is likely to decline while the PTI founder’s public support continues to grow—a political reality, he said, acknowledged by both Zardari and Nawaz Sharif.
Durrani also urged political actors to avoid dragging the establishment into political disputes and instead prioritise dialogue among parties to ensure national stability.
Commenting on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he said Chief Minister Sohail Afridi had shifted from a confrontational stance to one of cooperation, helping improve confidence-building measures and the broader political environment.
He concluded by warning that terrorism remains a major national challenge requiring unity, adding that the evolving political equilibrium in the coming months would shape Pakistan’s future trajectory.
