Aleema irked as Gandapur, Saif, Swati meet Imran over Eid holidays

ISLAMABAD: Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and his Information Adviser Barrister Saif held a lengthy meeting with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan at Adiala jail, Rawalpindi, on Wednesday.

According to sources, Imran Khan directed the two leaders to initiate negotiations with the establishment, marking a shift in PTI’s strategy. Gandapur and Saif have been entrusted with leading the party’s engagement with key stakeholders. Both sides agreed to maintain confidentiality, refraining from disclosing progress on negotiations to the public for now.

Sources revealed that Barrister Saif accompanied Gandapur to Adiala jail in his car, while Bushra Bibi also met Imran Khan separately. The meeting between the PTI leaders and Khan lasted over two hours in the jail’s conference room. Following the discussions, both leaders left without speaking to the media — Gandapur proceeded to KP House in Islamabad, while Saif returned to Peshawar.

Discussions reportedly covered PTI’s internal affairs, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s governance challenges, and potential talks with the establishment. Sources claim that Gandapur and Saif sought to convince Khan to re-establish contact with the establishment and, in response, Khan clarified that he had never opposed the option of dialogue.

The KP chief minister also briefed Imran Khan on provincial matters, including mounting criticism of PTI’s leadership on social media. It was agreed that the party should reassess its confrontational stance toward the state institutions. The meeting further emphasized the need for a more aggressive media strategy in response to ongoing political developments.

As negotiations are set to begin, PTI’s leadership hopes that these efforts will not only address internal party matters but also ease the broader political impasse surrounding Imran Khan.

When contacted for details, PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram, who is currently in Peshawar, confirmed the meeting but stated, “I have yet to speak with the chief minister, but it is certain that discussions revolved around political developments and governance issues in KP.” He refrained from commenting on reports regarding Gandapur and Saif’s assignment to hold talks with the establishment, saying he would do so only after speaking with Gandapur.

This meeting follows a similar visit on Tuesday by former minister and senior PTI leader Azam Swati, along with other party members. Swati reportedly carried a special message, urging Khan to consider dialogue with the establishment. Sources suggest that Swati hinted at a potential breakthrough in Khan’s legal situation, suggesting his release could be imminent.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, Swati disclosed that he had informed Imran Khan about corruption allegations in PTI’s Mansehra chapter. He specifically mentioned that Sardar Khan and Ikramullah were given party positions despite facing corruption charges, urging Khan to take action.

According to Azam Swati, Imran Khan said if the KP committee had taken a decision, then the KP Assembly speaker should resign. He added that the PTI founder asked that the appointments made by Junaid Akbar be immediately reversed.

Swati said: “We have to take former chairman PTI out of jail at all costs. Ali Amin Gandapur is not sitting silent over corruption matters. I have come to meet former chairman PTI with the permission of Ali Amin Gandapur.”

He said the PTI founder had sent a message to Sulman Akram Raja to remove the president and secretary general of PTI Mansehra from the party positions and expel them from the party.

According to an Online report, the jail authorities stopped Barrister Sulman Akram Raja, Niazullah Niazi and Barrister Shaheen from meeting Imran Khan as their names were not included in a list provided to them. However, Azam Swati, Nadia Khattak, Mubashar Awan, Tabish Advocate and Ansar Kiyani were allowed to meet him.

Sulman Raja and Niazullah Niazi said they would file a contempt of court petition against the jail authorities.

Meanwhile, Aleema Khan, sister of PTI founder, said on social media platform X: “We were categorically told by jail authorities that during gazetted holidays family will not be allowed to meet Imran Khan. Yesterday, Tuesday the 1st of April was a gazzetted holiday. Last time we met our brother was on Tuesday, 20th of March. Last Tuesday 27th of March we were not allowed to meet our brother. How come we were not allowed to meet Imran Khan but a few people have been given access to him? Are the gazetted holiday restrictions only applicable for family members? We have not been allowed to meet Imran Khan and he is not allowed to speak to his sons either.”