Imran signals readiness to 'give-and-take'

Reiterates call for direct talks with establishment

ISLAMABAD:

Incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former prime minister Imran Khan once again expressed willingness to hold direct talks with the country's powerful stakeholders on Thursday, saying he was ready for a "give and take" only in the interest of Pakistan.

Speaking to party leaders at Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail, the PTI founder, while emphasising that he wasn't seeking any personal relief, said that the doors for dialogue with the establishment were open, saying he was ready to talk at any time for the sake of country and national unity.

PTI Senator Ali Zafar, after meeting Khan in jail, told the media that the former premier had made it clear that any settlement would be for the country, not for personal gain. "There is no personal give and take involved," Zafar said before quoting Khan as saying: "if I wanted concessions for myself, I would have asked for them long ago and wouldn't have spent 600 days in jail."

To a question about recent remarks by Khan's sister, Aleema Khan, Zafar said that Khan clarified that any notion of a give-and-take approach would be strictly for Pakistan's benefit. "I am not asking for any relief in my cases," Zafar attributed to Khan, adding "I only want justice, and I want my cases to be heard without delay."

Reportedly, Aleema recently called for direct talks with the "unseen forces" to secure her brother's release through a possible "give and take" arrangement.

Speaking to media in Islamabad, she claimed that judges handling Khan's cases were under pressure, pointing out that Khan's cases come on the cause list but are then not taken up.

Khan, who was ousted from office via a no-confidence vote in 2022, has been in jail since August 2023. He faces a range of charges, including corruption and abetting violence, which his party maintains are politically motivated.

To another question, Zafar said that Khan also confirmed that a protest campaign against the ruling PML-N-led coalition had already been announced and that the party would unveil its strategy in the coming days.

Zafar said that Khan has instructed the party leadership to prepare for the movement, warning that he would no longer remain patient if no one comes out. "No one will be allowed to play from both sides of the fence," he said.

Khan's renewed outreach has come at a time when his party hasn't been able to get any relief for him since he was arrested and sent behind bars in August 2023. His party says that the imprisonment is aimed at sidelining him from the national political landscape.

Nevertheless, Khan's continued imprisonment has not only remained a rallying point for PTI leaders and supporters but become a central issue in the party's ongoing standoff with the establishment.

The rift between PTI and powerful stakeholders was evident last Friday as Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur had skipped a formal dinner hosted by the newly-elevated Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir – also the Chief of Army Staff.

Surprising as it may seem, PTI leaders were not invited for the dinner to celebrate success in the operation Bunyanum Mursoos. On May 10, 2025, Pakistan had launched a retaliatory response to unprovoked Indian aggression, including missile strikes on Pakistani airbases and civilian areas.