Imran never requested meeting with current army chief: Fawad

PTI leader says any speculations in this regard are 'baseless'

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry on Tuesday debunked speculations regarding party chief and former premier Imran Khan requesting to meet Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir.

In a tweet, Fawad asserted that "Imran Khan has never made any request to meet [the] army chief or any of his representatives".

He furthered that President Dr Arif Alvi has "never approached [the] chairman PTI with any suggestion of army chief for meeting Shahbaz Sharif" and that any speculations in this regard are "baseless".

Chairman Imran Khan has never made any request to meet Army chief or any of his representatives likewise President has never approached Chairman PTI with any suggestion of Army Chief for meeting Shahbaz Sharif, speculations in this regard are baseless

— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) March 7, 2023

The PTI leader's statement comes after senior journalist Kamran Khan's tweet earlier today.

According to Kamran, General Munir had said in a meeting with the country’s business leadership that he had sent a message to Imran through President Alvi for meeting the prime minister.

Read LHC dismisses pleas seeking contempt proceedings against Imran

He added that the COAS said Imran did not agree to meet PM Shehbaz and instead expressed his desire to meet General Munir. However, the army chief said that "he is not ready to interfere in the political process.

جنرل عاصم منیر ملک کی چوٹی کی بزنس لیڈرشپ کے ساتھ کل شب ملاقات میں بتایا انہوں نے صدرعلوی کے زریعے عمران خان وزیر اعظم شہباز شریف ملاقات کا پیغام بھیجا تھا مگر خان صاحب نہ مانے بلکہ آرمی چیف سے ملاقات کی خواہش کا اظہار کیا جنرل عاصم نے کہا وہ سیاسی عمل میں مداخلت کے لئے تیار نہیں pic.twitter.com/HxLkjEcqzc

— Kamran Khan (@AajKamranKhan) March 7, 2023

Last week, the deposed prime minister had announced that he forgave everyone, including those who attempted to take his life in Wazirabad last year, for the sake of the country.

Addressing the nation via video link from his Zaman Park residence on Saturday, Imran had said that he was ready to talk to everyone for the betterment of the country.

However, in response to the PTI chairman’s statement showing a willingness to talk, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb had said the PTI chief was “begging for an NRO”.

Imran counts cases

Meanwhile, Imran said that there are currently 76 cases against him for "terrorism, blasphemy and sedition", adding that these cases are "increasing rapidly".

However, he noted that in the sedition case against him, "neither the officer is named nor institution identified".

"This is what happens when a bunch of criminals are imposed on a nation by those who are devoid of intelligence, morality and ethics," Imran tweeted.

My 76 cases & increasing rapidly include terrorism, blasphemy & sedition. In sedition case, neither the officer is named nor institution identified. This is what happens when a bunch of criminals are imposed on a nation by those who are devoid of intelligence, morality & ethics.

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) March 7, 2023