PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said on Wednesday that the former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan had allowed the party’s negotiators to present their demands to the government in writing, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
He said that Imran had also allowed them (the negotiators) to hold one sitting with the government even if they were not allowed to meet him prior to that.
Similarly, the PTI chairman said, Imran Khan had allowed the party leaders to accept an invitation extended by a friendly country. “Likewise, he has also allowed us to accept the government’s invitation in case a foreign dignitary visits the country,” he informed.
He made it clear that the purpose of talks with the government was not to clinch a ‘deal’, but to work for an improvement in the country’s situation. “Don’t think that we are weak,” he said categorically.
Barrister Gohar said that even before the PTI had said ‘absolutely not’ to the USA. “And the party is ready to repeat the same words if asked to do something against the country’s interests.”
He disclosed that the party did have a contact with the establishment, but there was no follow-up on that.
Similarly, he also dispelled the impression that the verdict in the 190 million Pound case (Al-Qadir Trust case) was being delayed under a ‘deal’. “This case is simply absurd,” he added.
Witnesses in the case, Barrister Gohar went on to say, had told the court that neither the former prime minister had received any money nor did he cause any loss to the national exchequer.
He lamented that close to 200 cases were filed against the PTI founder and the party was robbed of its win in the February 8 general elections.
He further said that there was a long list of the crimes the government had committed against the party. “Our workers were fired at; even today our several workers are missing.”
The PTI chairman said that there were two demands the party had initially presented to the government. “We had said that the third meeting would only be held when we were allowed to meet Imran Khan,” he elaborated.
He emphasized that there should be no break in talks.
Barrister Gohar also negated Imran’s sister Aleema Khan’s statement in which she had said that her brother had been given the option of shifting to his Bani Gala residence.
PTI hints at ‘wrapping up’ talks with govt
Earlier, the political diplomacy launched by Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) seeking a meeting with incarcerated party founder Imran Khan appeared to hit a dead-end as the PTI had hinted at wrapping up the dialogue process with the government.
According to sources, PTI was likely to hold the third round of talks with the government on January 9 after holding a “secure” meeting with Imran Khan at Adiala Jail.
Earlier the government had asked the PTI to submit their demands in writing, but the party had announced not to do so until they meet the PTI founder.
Talking to newsmen outside Adiala Jail on Wednesday, senior PTI leader Barrister Ali Zafar said that if the ongoing talks collapsed then “anything can happen”.
Ali Zafar said “We are not in a position to submit written demands without meeting with the PTI founder in jail.”
He said that a detailed meeting between founder of PTI and political committee is need of the hour. He clarified that currently there is no proposal about holding a sit-in.
Ali Zafar said that negotiations with the government will discontinue automatically if the government declined PTI’s request to hold a detailed meeting with Imran Khan.
Meanwhile, senior PTI lawyer Sardar Latif Khosa said if the PTI founder can be removed on the advice of US diplomat Donald Lu, then US President-elect Donald Trump is the most powerful person in the world.
Talking to media outside Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday, Latif Khosa said the government is a product of Form 47 and 17-seat party has formed the government.
Latif Khosa further said the man with 180 seats is in jail and it is obvious that the opponents want to enjoy the rule as long as they can.
The rulers are taking the country to the brink of destruction and the people are falling deeper and deeper into the poverty, he added.
“The government has nothing to do with what’s going on and when we said it, then they used to say nothing is in their control, so why should we talk to them,” maintained Latif Khosa.
Reporter Tayyab Saif