Not to attend meeting was party’s decision: Gohar

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has stated that even as the chairman, he did not have the authority to make decisions alone and that the party had collectively decided not to attend the meeting of Parliamentary Committee on National Security.

Speaking to the media outside the Adiala jail in Rawalpindi, he explained that the party had set conditions, including a meeting with PTI founder Imran Khan, before participating in such discussions.

Gohar emphasized that there should be no politics on terrorism and that everyone should unite against it. “I had said very clearly that there should be no two opinions on terrorism, no politics on it, and everyone should be united. This is the cause of Pakistan and the nation. If Pakistan remains, everyone will play their role,” he said.

Later, after meeting Imran Khan, Gohar and PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja spoke to the media.

Gohar stated that Imran Khan had condemned the Jaffar Express tragedy and stressed the need for a unified voice against terrorism. He also mentioned that Imran Khan had supported the party’s decision to stay away from the meeting unless their conditions were met.

Salman Akram Raja added that Imran Khan had expressed sadness over the current situation in the country and reiterated his commitment to the Constitution and democracy. He criticised the government for excluding the PTI from meaningful discussions and highlighted the party’s popularity and representation across all the four provinces.

Earlier, the PTI Political Committee, after a late-night meeting, decided that party representatives would only attend the national security committee meeting if they were allowed to meet Imran Khan in jail first. A statement issued after the meeting said, “The PTI will not participate in the Security Committee meeting until our party representatives are allowed to meet former prime minister Imran Khan.”