Property tycoon urged Imran to trust Mohsin Naqvi

ISLAMABAD: A prominent property tycoon, currently residing outside Pakistan, has reportedly sent a message to jailed PTI founder Imran Khan, urging him to trust Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi.

According to an informed source, the tycoon’s message has also been conveyed to Bushra Bibi. Both Imran and Bushra are aware that Naqvi, who is considered close to the military establishment, has been facilitating the PTI leaders behind the scenes. Despite this, Imran has been vocal in his criticism of Naqvi, recently expressing anger over Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur for displaying warmth in official meetings with the interior minister.

The source revealed that both Gandapur and Barrister Gohar, who have been engaged in backchannel talks in recent months, are also aware of Naqvi’s role in assisting the PTI leaders. These leaders had reportedly briefed Khan about Naqvi’s “positive” contributions but Khan was apparently not willing to reconsider his stance.

Senior PTI leaders are also aware of Gandapur and Gohar’s experience with Naqvi, particularly in facilitating informal political negotiations —though these talks have so far remained fruitless.

At one stage, the property tycoon sent a message to Khan and asked him to trust Naqvi, emphasizing the interior minister’s involvement in efforts to ease tensions. However, despite these assurances, Khan continued to target Naqvi publicly.

Imran Khan has been criticizing Naqvi since his appointment as Punjab’s caretaker chief minister, accusing him of bias and political favoritism. Khan also opposed Naqvi’s appointment as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, accusing him of favouritism. In June 2024, following Pakistan’s defeat in cricket, Naqvi hinted at major changes in the national team. In response, Khan called for action against him, stating that Naqvi was benefiting from favoritism. In an informal conversation with journalists at the Adiala jail’s courtroom, Khan voiced frustration over Pakistan’s security situation, questioning the government’s priorities. “Our soldiers are being martyred, and robberies are happening in Islamabad, yet they do not care,” he remarked. “Mohsin Naqvi is the biggest beneficiary of favoritism,” he said.