Jailed Imran Khan changes his mind, gives green signal for talks with Pakistan govt
Islamabad: Pakistan’s jailed former prime minister Imran Khan in an apparent U-turn has given a green signal for talks with the government to ease the ongoing political tension, days after refusing to have a dialogue with the toothless ruling coalition.
The change of heart came after the Supreme Court during a hearing of a case on changes to the country’s graft laws observed that Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party should initiate talks with the government and resolve its issues in parliament through dialogue.
Speaking to journalists outside the Adiala Jail where Khan is incarcerated, PTI leader Gohar Ali Khan on Tuesday said that Khan has given the go-ahead for the talks with the government. He said the party would initially take its allies into confidence but could also take a solo flight on the issue.
“We told the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder that dialogue is necessary, as the distance is widening. He agreed with us (on this),” Gohar told the media outside the Adiala jail in Rawalpindi.
According to Gohar, Khan, 71, wanted the avenues of dialogue to be opened.
“The PTI founder has said many times that ‘I am ready to forgive what happened to me’,” Gohar was quoted as saying by Geo TV. The cricketer-turned-politician has been lodged at the high-security Adiala Jail at Rawalpindi since his arrest 10 months ago for his involvement in multiple cases, some of which have resulted in conviction.
