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Islamabad : Amid uncertainty over the fate of much-hyped talks between the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and the government, contradictions in the statements of PTI leaders regarding the purported “offer of Imran Khan’s house arrest” have further complicated the process.
A report published in The News quoted PTI founder’s sister, Aleema Khan, claiming that the offer was made by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur; however, party’s leaders, Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Sher Afzal Marwat, expressed differing views on the matter.
While speaking to the media on Tuesday after meeting Imran at Adiala jail on Tuesday, Aleema revealed that offers for deals have been made “since the beginning”, but no direct contact has occurred.
She disclosed that Imran was offered house arrest at Bani Gala, and the proposal was brought forward by Gandapur.
“My brother has been in jail for a year and a half. If he wanted to strike a backdoor deal, he would have done so already,” Aleema said, asking why propose house arrest now after keeping Imran behind bars for this long.
She further indicated that Imran was also asked to remain silent and avoid speaking out.
Expressing scepticism about the intentions of those involved in negotiations, Aleema emphasised that the PTI founder has consistently made only two demands: the formation of a judicial commission to investigate the events of May 9 and the release of prisoners.
“A judicial commission should be formed under a senior judge acceptable to all.”
Aleema expressed frustration over the lack of progress, adding that repeated calls for the formation of the commission and the release of prisoners have gone unanswered. She also criticised the authorities for not allowing the negotiation committee to meet with the PTI founder.
Highlighting the importance of judicial commissions in democracies governed by the rule of law, Aleema said that Imran has always upheld these principles. She further alleged that individuals within the government’s negotiating team have “stolen our mandate.”
Commenting on the lack of transparency, Aleema remarked: “Nothing is hidden from the ISI [Inter-Services Intelligence] anymore. Everyone is talking about deals — some suggesting a three-year silence agreement and others proposing different terms.”
However, PTI’s firebrand leader and lawyer Marwat differed from Aleema and claimed that the proposal of Imran’s house arrest was made by the establishment and the government through Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, but the offer was rejected.
He revealed that following the refusal, an alternative offer for the release of the PTI founder was proposed, either after three weeks or by December 20, again conveyed through Naqvi.
Marwat said that the tragic incident on November 26 during PTI’s “do-or-die protest” in Islamabad brought a shift in circumstances and led to the initiation of talks with the political leadership.
He acknowledged that the establishment had previously maintained direct or indirect contact at times but clarified that no backdoor negotiations had taken place since the November 26 incident.
According to Marwat, had Mohsin Naqvi been included in the government’s negotiation team, the talks might have already concluded, as Naqvi tends to show significant flexibility at the negotiation table.
Separately, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar expressed an entirely different stance, saying that there had never been any discussion regarding the transfer of the PTI founder to Bani Gala.
In a telephonic conversation with Geo News, he emphasised that neither the government, Naqvi, nor the establishment ever engaged in talks about the PTI founder’s release, house arrest, or transfer at any stage.
Gohar clarified that contact with the government was restored shortly before November 26, but the negotiation process had not begun with Naqvi before that date.
The 71-year-old cricketer-turned-politician has been behind bars since August last year after he was sentenced in Toshakhana case-I — one of the dozens cases registered against the former premier since his ouster from power in April 2022. His release is a long-held demand of his party
After months of a political tug-of-war, the coalition government and the embattled PTI finally came to the table last month to defuse tensions, with the Khan-founded party initially putting forth two initial demands: the release of the deposed prime minister along with all political prisoners and a judicial probe into the events of May 9 and November 26.
During the two round of talks —held with NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, the PTI negotiation team sought frequent meetings with party founder to finalise the “charter of demands”.
Despite the PTI has been quite vocal about their key demands but the party did not share its demands with the government committee in writing.
Currently, the ongoing negotiation process is facing a stalemate as the PTI leadership was denied permission to meet the PTI founder by the authorities concerned.
The key opposition party claimed that they have not been allowed to meet Khan by Adiala jail authorities, while the government cited the former ruling party’s inability to present a written charter of demand leading to the NA speaker’s hesitance in calling a third meeting, added the sources. — (Geo News)
