RAWALPINDI: Incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan has outlined three conditions for engaging in talks with the government to address the political turmoil in the country.
“The first condition is that my cases should be dismissed, the second is to release our party members, and the third is to return our mandate,” Khan stated during an informal conversation with journalists in the courtroom on Saturday.
Khan, who had previously refused to engage in dialogue with the ruling coalition, signaled a change last month by agreeing to negotiations. He appointed Mahmood Khan Achakzai, Chairman of the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), to lead the discussions.
Reflecting on past negotiations, Khan recalled talks with former Chief of Army Staff Gen (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa. At that time, a three-member committee was formed, comprising Asad Umar, Pervez Khattak, and Shah Mehmood Qureshi. “We were told then that the ‘baray sahab’ [big boss] had decided not to conduct elections,” Khan revealed, stressing his party’s resentment over what he termed the “February 8 robbery,” a reference to alleged election rigging.
Khan also issued a stern warning, stating that PTI would go on a hunger strike and bring international attention to their plight if their demands were not met.
In a related development, Khan welcomed the Supreme Court’s recent verdict on reserved seats, describing it as a “positive development.” He expressed gratitude to the judges for upholding the rule of law, which he believes has given hope to the people.
The Supreme Court, in its ruling on Friday, affirmed that the PTI-backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) is eligible for the allocation of reserved seats, overturning the Peshawar High Court’s decision that upheld the Election Commission of Pakistan’s denial of these seats.
Imran Khan’s conditions and the Supreme Court’s favorable decision for PTI are seen as critical steps towards potential negotiations and the restoration of political stability in Pakistan.
