Is holding talks a sin, asks Swati

ISLAMABAD: Former federal minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Azam Swati on Saturday said those who say that a deal is being made have lost their minds but insisted negotiations will be held when ex-president Dr Arif Alvi visits.

“I have got permission from Khan Sahib for talks (but) not for his release, Imran Khan will speak for the rule of democracy and the Constitution,” he emphasized while talking to media in Rawalpindi courts. He counter-questioned if it was a sin to hold talks, when a reporter informed him about the criticism being poured on him by some party leaders. “I am waiting for former president Arif Alvi for regular talks who was supposed to come last week, now he is coming next week, nothing can be said definitively yet, the talks should not be for the release of the PTI founder who has made his name in history,” he noted.

Swati had recently claimed that PTI founder Imran Khan had given him the task of negotiations with the establishment. Later, in an interview to a private TV channel, he announced holding a meeting with a special personality on last Wednesday. Swati had claimed that after this meeting, he contacted ‘Dr Tanveer’ (who is believed to be Pakistani-American businessman Tanveer Ahmed), who is considered close to General Asim Munir, but to no avail.

However, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Salman Akram Raja had said that he was not aware of the deal with the establishment.