ISLAMABAD:
A quietly held meeting between senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders and Home Minister Mohsin Naqvi has sparked a debate over possible clandestine contacts between the opposition party and the powers that be and has also raised questions over internal communication and coordination within the party after it emerged that the family of the party’s founding president Imran Khan had no prior knowledge of the engagement.
A post circulated on
Aleema Khan quickly rejected the claim about X, clarifying that no member of Imran Khan’s family was present at the meeting and that the family had not been informed beforehand. His denial, however, inadvertently confirmed the existence of the meeting, triggering a chain of inquiries that brought the meeting to public attention.
Rumors had been circulating for several days about a meeting between Advocate Gohar Ali Khan and the Home Minister at the former’s residence, although neither the PTI nor Advocate Gohar had confirmed it during that period.
The matter remained unaddressed publicly until Aleema Khan’s statement brought it to light, after which Sohail Afridi’s name also emerged in connection with the meeting and was later acknowledged by senior PTI leaders in response to questions.
The Express PAkGazette contacted lawyer Gohar Ali Khan to confirm the reported meeting and its agenda. He confirmed that the meeting had taken place and reiterated that no member of Imran Khan’s family was present. However, he did not respond to further questions about the agenda or detailed discussion points.
On the other hand, PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas, responding to questions from The Express PAkGazette, said that he had personally contacted Advocate Gohar, who confirmed the meeting and the presence of Sohail Afridi. He stated that the meeting took place on May 14 and was strictly related to law and order issues, including Bannu’s security situation and broader law and order concerns.
He further said that Imran Khan’s family was not informed about the meeting as the matter does not concern them, adding that Barrister Gohar, as part of the party’s senior leadership, was authorized to participate in such discussions. In their words, the participants maintained that the debate was limited to issues of security and public order.
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa chief minister, in a post on He categorically stated that there was no political debate during the meeting, adding that reports suggesting otherwise were incorrect.
The Bannu security context cited by Afridi is based on a recent and serious incident. On the night of May 9, five days before the meeting was to take place, a devastating attack hit a police post in Bannu district when an explosives-laden vehicle was crashed into the post, followed by a coordinated assault involving heavy weaponry and drones.
The attack was claimed by Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen Pakistan, a newly emerged armed group. In the following days, a joint operation by Pakistan’s army, police and Counter-Terrorism Department was launched in the area, in which 16 terrorists, including two commanders, were killed. It is in this immediate context that PTI representatives described the May 14 meeting as focused on law, order and security coordination.
While the KP premier’s clarification addressed the nature of the meeting, the event has drawn attention in political circles due to doubts over the timing and limited public awareness about it.
This development comes against the backdrop of prolonged concerns over Imran Khan’s health during his incarceration in Adiala Jail.
Khan was taken to PIMS on several occasions in recent months for treatment for a deteriorating eye condition, and his legal team filed petitions in the Islamabad High Court seeking access to specialized care and the presence of his personal doctors.
A follow-up examination by a joint medical board in March reported an improvement in his condition, although the family questioned the government’s assessment and insisted that medical decisions should not be made without their consent.
The episode has also drawn attention to a recurring tension between the Khan family and senior party leaders over internal communication and consultations.
In February, Aleema Khan publicly rebuked the party leadership for its handling of the medical situation, objecting to what she described as decisions made without the family’s knowledge.
Gohar himself acknowledged a communication gap within the leadership at the time, while emphasizing that efforts for Imran Khan’s release remained coordinated.
The last episode in which a meeting was held with the Minister of the Interior and only came to light through a publication on social networks seems to reflect that same unresolved tension.
