The founder of Pakistan Tehreek-E-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, has categorically denied grant permission to any party member to participate in negotiations with the establishment, according to the president of the PTI, the lawyer Gohar Ali Khan.
In statements to journalists outside the Adial prison in Rawalpindi on Tuesday after meeting with the former prime minister, Gohar dismissed recent claims of the PTI Azam Swati senator, who had suggested that Khan had approved Backchannel conversations to stabilize the country’s political situation.
Swati, in a recent television interview, had suggested possible meetings with key figures and even proposed to involve former President Dr. Arif Alvi in the negotiation process.
However, Gohar made it clear that Khan has not authorized such initiatives or pressed anyone to negotiate an agreement. “The founder of PTI said that he has not pressurized anyone to reach an agreement,” he said, added that Khan issued six statements during his meeting.
He also addressed the mining and mineral bill introduced into the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa assembly. He said that the founder of PTI would present a formal position after consulting with political leaders, particularly KP’s prime minister, Ali Amin Gandapur.
The bill has caused criticism of opposition parties and some members of PTI, who argue that it compromises provincial autonomy. However, the KP government maintains the bill to stop illegal mining and encourage investment.
Khan also shared concerns about Afghan refugees and regional dynamics involving Afghanistan. In internal matters, he instructed the members of the party to avoid public criticism with each other, urging the unit as PTI considers to form a broader opposition alliance.
“The founder of PTI said that all opposition matches will have to meet on a single platform for [the protection of] Democracy, ”he said.
He criticized the prison authorities for limiting access to Khan, revealing that although only two lawyers were approved for the meeting, five were allowed inside.
Gohar also condemned the continuous denial of Khan’s family visits, especially his sisters, despite the clear orders of the Superior Court of Islamabad that allow biweekly meetings.
