ISLAMABAD – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf supremo Imran Khan remained behind bars for 21 months, and now the dissent leader reportedly considering all out options to walk free.
Amid growing rift in his circle, PTI itself has quietly been seeking to initiate backchannel communication with both the government and the establishment, report said.
While PTI leaders continue to publicly project a defiant stance, no official dialogue has commenced. According to party insiders, the reluctance to go public stems from a strategy to avoid backlash from both supporters and detractors. Maintaining secrecy has become a central concern, especially given the party’s internal divisions over the idea of dialogue.
Imran Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, publicly denied media reports suggesting that the jailed former prime minister responded positively to an offer for talks from the current leadership. Her comments contradicted other accounts from within the party, intensifying speculation.
One key development was reported last week during a meeting between Khan and PTI chairman Barrister Gohar, who was accompanied by other legal aides, at Adiala Jail. During the visit, Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, asked other lawyers to leave the room so she could speak privately with Imran and Gohar Ali Khan.
Though the content of that conversation remains undisclosed, some senior PTI leaders later claimed that Gohar informed them Imran Khan was ready to consider back-door negotiations and even meet a representative of establishment. This revelation has sparked uncertainty within the party’s leadership, with efforts underway to seek clarity from Khan in a follow-up meeting.
Amid the buzz, PTI’s Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram dismissed reports of any ongoing negotiations. “There are currently no talks—neither official nor unofficial—with the government or the establishment,” he said when contacted.
No backdoor deal with Imran Khan, establishment focused solely on security: Sources
