'Army not interested in deal with Imran'

Imran is banned from meeting journalists but the Guardian was able to submit questions through his legal team.

The military has no intention of entering into negotiations or cutting a deal with former prime minister Imran Khan, sources told the Guardian, after the PTI founder said he would be willing to engage with the army leadership from his jail cell.

Imran, who is being held in Adiala jail, is banned from meeting journalists but the Guardian was able to submit questions through his legal team. In his responses, Imran said he has had "no personal engagement with the military" since he was arrested and imprisoned in August last year.

However, he said he would not rule out doing a deal with the military establishment. "With regards to doing a deal with the military, any engagement would be based on principles and in the interest of the people, not personal gain or compromises that undermine Pakistan's democratic values," he told the Guardian.

He added that he would "rather live the rest of my life in prison than compromise on my principles".

"Imran has to face the court cases against him, and can't expect any deals from the military. He wants everyone to follow the rule of law, but he does not want this rule of law for himself," The Guardian quote a source as saying.

In response to the constitutional amendments and the allegedly rigged election, this week Imran issued a "final call" for a PTI protest due to be held in the capital Islamabad on 24 November. The party has been facing an ongoing crackdown since Imran was arrested, with most of the party's leadership either in jail or exile.

The government has still yet to confirm if they intend to try Imran in a military rather than civilian court, for some of his alleged crimes which include everything from bribery to terrorism. He denies all charges.

"How can any civilian ever be tried in a military court, let alone a former prime minister?" said Imran. "It's ludicrous. The only reason to try a civilian in military court is simply because no other court of justice would convict me. The very idea of it is alarming."

Imran said he remained confident that he would get justice eventually and he still believed he would "have the opportunity to serve as prime minister again if that is the will of the people".