Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and imprisoned leader Imran Khan has reached out to the military, expressing his readiness to engage in talks and requesting the army to nominate a representative for these discussions.
During a court hearing held at Adiala jail, Khan stated, “We are ready to hold talks with the military. The army should nominate their representative for negotiations.”
Despite his imprisonment for nearly a year, Khan reiterated that his party had never accused the army of wrongdoing but had only criticized the armed forces’ actions.
Khan emphasized that any PTI worker found guilty of participating in the May 9, 2023, riots should face appropriate penalties.
He accused the current government of attempting to destroy his party by creating divisions between PTI and the military.
When questioned about his desire to hold talks with the army despite his criticism of them and his reluctance to engage with political parties, Khan responded, “What is the SIFC? Who is Mohsin Naqvi? There is an undeclared martial law.”
He accused Interior Minister Naqvi of being a representative of the military, stating that he reached his position due to their influence.
Khan declared that he would never engage in talks with Naqvi, whom he accused, along with the Punjab Inspector General, of oppressing his party.
In his statement, Khan also labeled Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz as a “fascist,” citing the numerous arrests of PTI leadership across the province.
Referring to his own arrest last year, Khan claimed that he was “abducted from the judicial complex” and that this act was legitimized by Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Aamer Farooq.
Khan called for the IHC Chief Justice to recuse himself from his cases and requested that his cases be assigned to other judges.
In response to Khan’s call for negotiations, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and Punjab senior minister Marriyum Aurangzeb criticized Khan, describing him as a “self-proclaimed revolutionary figure” who has shifted from a stance of defiance to one seeking pardon.
Aurangzeb questioned the basis on which Khan wants to hold dialogue with the military and suggested that he should apologize to the military for the violent protests on May 9, 2023, instead of demanding talks.
Aurangzeb further responded to Khan’s “fascist” remarks against the Punjab Chief Minister, stating, “A fascist is an individual who violates the Constitution to stay in power. A fascist is a person who arrests a daughter before his imprisoned father to torture the political opponent.” She also labeled Khan as a “media predator” who suppressed freedom of expression.
Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari joined in the criticism, accusing Khan of being a “fascist ruler” who imprisoned over 100 PML-N leaders in political cases.
Bokhari noted that PML-N leaders remained loyal to Nawaz Sharif and the party despite their arrests, whereas PTI leaders announced their departure from the party after only one night in jail.
She urged Khan not to blame Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz for his “crimes, failed rebellion, and anti-Pakistan conspiracies.” Bokhari stressed that those responsible for the May 9, 2023, rebellion would be held accountable.
Khan’s latest statement follows his earlier endorsement of peaceful protests outside the military’s General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi before his arrest last year.
PTI leadership refuted media reports claiming that Khan admitted to directing the protests, insisting that the party founder’s words were being misreported.
Khan also clarified his controversial “only animals are neutral” statement from 2022, explaining that he meant the army should remain apolitical and non-partisan, rather than labeling them as animals.
Legal Battles and Imprisonment
Imran Khan, aged 71, has been imprisoned for nearly a year, facing multiple charges, including those related to the Toshakhana case, cipher, and an un-Islamic marriage.
His wife, Bushra, has also been in prison for several months.
While a court suspended Khan’s sentence in the Toshakhana case and overturned his convictions in the cipher and iddat cases, hopes for their release were dashed when NAB arrested them on new charges related to the sale of state gifts.
The prospects of Khan’s release further diminished following his arrest in new cases linked to the May 9, 2023, riots, despite his acquittal in the iddat case.
