Imran Khan advises PTI against confrontation

PESHAWAR: Former prime minister Imran Khan has directed the members of his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), to hold nationwide public gatherings after seeking permission from concerned authorities, without indulging in confrontation, Geo News reported quoting sources on Thursday.

“No illegal act should be committed,” he ordered, instructing against taking up fights with authorities.

The PTI founder's advice came during his meeting Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur at the Adiala jail, as the two met to discuss national politics, added the sources.

Earlier this week, Gandapur without specifying a date, announced that the PTI would hold its next rally in Islamabad in the upcoming days, come rain or shine.

"No one can stop us [from staging a rally]," Gandapur had said while addressing the PTI public gathering in KP's Swabi held to mark the one-year imprisonment of Khan. "I'm announcing the next power show in Islamabad as the chief minister."

On the other hand, the PTI founder said he was ready to hold talks with anybody within the limits of the law and Constitution, as per the sources. He also demanded that his party’s "stolen" mandate be returned.

The PTI founder said he had no problem being in jail as he was studying books on various topics, the sources quoted him as saying.

Meanwhile, Gandapur affirmed that the party would hold rallies across the country.

During the meeting, the KP chief minister also proposed forming a committee to address complaints regarding good governance and corruption. "Such a committee should be constituted that holds free and transparent investigation,” he said, as per the sources.

The CM asked the ex-PM to suggest names for the committee members.

The sources said the name of Special Assistant to KP Chief Minister on Anti-Corruption Muhammad Musaddiq Abbasi was included in the committee on the PTI founder’s instruction.