ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founding chairman Imran Khan, on Thursday, confirmed that he was offered through PTI leaders to postpone the protest march scheduled for November 24, with the promise that “everything would become all right” if he agreed to delay the demonstration.

Talking to reporters after the hearing of the Toshakhana-II case at Adiala Jail Rawalpindi, he said that following the offer through PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Khan and Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur, he demanded the release of all PTI leaders, and workers and including him to know about the seriousness of the negotiations. “This was one of the demands which they could fulfil immediately, but they did not fulfil it,” Khan said.

Khan said the negotiation was continued, but it became evident that they were not serious about resolving the issue but were merely trying to delay the protest. The former premier said Islamabad High Court (IHC) had granted him and his wife bail in the Toshakhana-II case on November 20 and they had a golden opportunity to release him.

“The non-seriousness of the talks made clear that they just wanted to keep me engaged and delay the matter,” he said, adding that the IHC had approved his bail but they decided in advance he should not be released.

He said “he is in jail and they are making cases against him one case after another and this is called a ‘Banana Republic’.”

“I want to give a message to the lawyers, labourers, civil society to come out on November 24 for their rights,” he said, adding that “we have no other path other than protest.”

Khan said that overseas Pakistanis will stage record protests on November 24 as there is freedom there. “We have come to know about the intention of the government, therefore, we will stage protests and negotiations will also continue,” he said.

He made it clear that the November 24 protest will be held at any cost. “Now it has become clear that they will not release me before November 24,” he said.

Khan said “if they are serious about conducting negotiations they immediately release our people. I cannot disclose the names with whom our team is negotiating but there is no seriousness in the talks,” he said, while responding to a question.

He said “the first point in our demand is the release of all our leaders and workers.”

Earlier, Special Judge Shahrukh Arjumand, hearing Toshakhana-II case against Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi, approved Khan’s wife’s exemption plea on medical grounds and adjourned the case till November 26.

Bushra Bibi’s counsel, Usman Gull, submitted an application requesting her exemption from a hearing on medical grounds.

The court approved Khan’s wife’s exemption application.

However, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor objected to Bushra Bibi’s plea and said that the defence counsel filed the plea just to delay the process of framing of charge against the accused.

The court adjourned hearing of the case till November 26.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024