Imran ‘says’ doors to establishment ‘never closed’, party sources

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Imran Khan has confirmed that he instructed senior PTI leader Azam Swati to initiate dialogue with the military establishment. Speaking to party leaders and lawyers during a meeting at Adiala jail on Tuesday, Khan emphasized that the outreach was not related to his legal cases but was done solely for the sake of Pakistan.

According to informed sources, Khan told his visitors that he has never closed the door on dialogue with the establishment. However, he clarified that his party has ceased talks with the current government, which he described as lacking any real authority. Those who met the PTI founder included Chairman PTI Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Senator Ali Zafar and lawyers Zaheer Abbas, Mubashar Awan, and Ali Imran.

During the meeting, Senator Ali Zafar sought Khan’s response to a recent video statement by Azam Swati. In the video, Swati revealed that Khan had directed him to engage with the establishment while keeping the nature of discussions confidential. Swati added that although Imran Khan has been publicly critical of the military leadership, efforts were ongoing behind the scenes to restore dialogue.

In response, Khan reiterated that the dialogue initiative was not about seeking personal favours or legal leniency. “This is about Pakistan, democracy, the rule of law, and respecting the people’s mandate,” Khan was quoted as saying. He added that he is committed to fighting his legal battles in court and will not pursue any backdoor relief. Khan stressed once again that while he has ruled out talks with the government, he remains open to engagement with the military establishment.