Imran green-lights talks with govt: Gohar

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek Insaf (PTI) chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said on Tuesday that Imran Khan has given the green light for talks with the government.

He quoted Imran Khan as saying “I forgive whatever happened.”

Speaking informally to reporters outside Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi, he clarified that the PTI founder’s approval for dialogue should not be seen as part of any deal. “The snow is melting; we want the situation to improve. The PTI founder has not written a letter to the Supreme Court for talks. Our party will also respond to the Supreme Court’s option for negotiations,” he noted.

Gohar Ali Khan said, “We told the PTI founder that distances are increasing, and dialogue is necessary. The PTI founder has agreed with us.”

When asked if the talks were initiated by the Supreme Court, he said that the Supreme Court’s option is under consideration but emphasised that the decision to negotiate was made independently by the party. The PTI is in alliance with Mahmood Khan Achakzai and other parties, who will be taken into confidence, he said, adding that talks will also be held at the alliance level.

The PTI is ready to initiate the dialogue process independently, as negotiation is the only viable option.

Meanwhile, responding to Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqv’s remarks, former prime minister Imran Khan called for action against him.

In an informal conversation with journalists at Adiala Jail’s courtroom on Tuesday, Khan criticised the authorities, highlighting ongoing security issues. “Our soldiers are being martyred, and robberies are occurring in Islamabad, yet they do not care,” he said.

He said: “Mohsin Naqvi is the biggest beneficiary of favoritism.”

Imran Khan condemned action against his party activists, alleging the PTI gatherings were disrupted and party members were detained wherever they held conventions.

Highlighting personal grievances, Imran Khan mentioned the raid on PTI leader Shibli Faraz’s residence and urged his party to prepare for nationwide protests.

The former premier announced plans for legal action against the jail authorities for restricting his interactions with family, lawyers, and political leaders to 30 minutes each while no more than six people are allowed to visit.

Following this, a journalist inquired about the relevance of the Hamoodur Rahman Commission report to the current situation, to which Khan consulted with his lawyer, Intazar Hussain Panjutha, before the jail staff asked the media to leave the courtroom.

Separately, PTI founder Imran Khan reacted to the ‘crackdown on media,’ saying that free media is one of the most important pillars of the state, as independent media acts as a watchdog and forces the government to rectify its mistakes.

Imran said the media in Pakistan has always been subject to state influence, with journalists being targets of state repression due to their critical thinking. “My government had tried to change this environment through the protection of journalists and media law. Since the no-confidence motion brought under the conspiracy, the protection of journalists and media law has been pushed aside,” he claimed.

Welcoming Imran Khan’s willingness to hold dialogue with the government, Federal Petroleum Minister Musadik Malik said it was heartening to know that. He said political dialogue is the only way forward, adding that tension among institutions should end.