ISLAMABAD: The ex-prime minister Imran Khan made it crystal clear on Wednesday that he did not authorise any backdoor talks with the country’s military, having rejected a deal two years ago that would have offered legal immunity in exchange for political silence.
In a statement shared via his legal team and posted on his official X account, Khan said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Azam Swati had expressed interest in talks with the military.
However, Khan dismissed any such efforts as “pointless,” citing a lack of sincerity from the other side.
“If I were seeking a deal, I would have accepted it two years ago,” he said. “Talks should be based on the supremacy of the constitution and the rule of law, not personal relief.”
Khan, who has been held in notorious Adiala Jail since August 2023 on multiple legal charges, also alleged he had been denied access to his family, lawyers, and personal physician in recent weeks, despite court orders permitting visits.
He said that he had directed his legal team to file a contempt of court petition against the prison authorities.
“I am not being allowed to speak with my children or meet my legal counsel, even on court-sanctioned days,” he lamented.
Khan also criticised the government’s policy on Afghan refugees, calling it “regrettable” and warning it could fuel resentment and increase the risk of terrorism.
He also directed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial assembly to seek an extension to deportation deadlines through passing a resolution and called for federal permission to open direct talks with the Afghan government.
Khan accused election tribunals of failing in their constitutional duties and protecting political elites. He appealed to the Chief Justice of the Peshawar High Court to ensure swift rulings on PTI’s pending election petitions.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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