Imran Khan asks PTI to prepare for ‘major nationwide movement'

• Imran Khan won’t call people to Islamabad, says Aleema.
• Says even rights of ordinary prisoners not being given to Khan.
• “Even if I am kept in jail for life, I won’t bow down,” says PTI founder.

RAWALPINDI: Incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan has asked his party workers and leadership to get ready for a “major nationwide movement" to send the incumbent coalition government packing, Aleema Khan quoted him as saying on Monday.

During his interactions with journalists outside Central Jail Adiala, Aleema said that Khan would not call people to Islamabad. "The PTI founder said the movement will be launched across Pakistan," she added.

Khan’s sister, however, did not give a particular date for the PTI’s upcoming movement.    

“Today, the PTI founder has conveyed three points,” she said.

• Even the rights of an ordinary prisoners are not being given to Khan.
• In the last eight months, the PTI founder was allowed to speak to his children only once.
• Jail administration does not allow the former prime minister to meet his sisters.   

She further said that during the past eight months, Khan was allowed to speak to his children only once. Aleema said that whenever they try to send books, the jail administration stops them.

The 71-year-old cricketer-turned-politician has been behind bars since August 2023 after he was booked in multiple cases ranging from corruption to terrorism since his ouster from power via the opposition's no-trust motion in April 2022.

Responding to a question about his health, she said the party founder was not being allowed to be examined by his personal physician.  

Quoting Khan, she said there was no place in the party for those who play on "both sides of the wicket".

“Even if I am kept in jail for life, I will not bow down,” she quoted him as saying.

Although Khan urged preparation for a protest movement, PTI is said to have resumed efforts to start a fresh round of negotiations with the incumbent government.

According to sources, discussions were in progress to initiate talks, with PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar and Barrister Saif playing an active role in the process, The News reported.

The dialogue had stalled due to heightened tensions between Pakistan and India, the sources added.

However, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Adviser on Information Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif told Geo News that PTI was not currently engaged in any formal negotiations with any party. However, efforts for the release of PTI founder are continuing.

It is worth noting that Barrister Saif met the PTI founder at the Adiala jail last week. The sources further revealed that during the meeting, Imran issued important instructions to Barrister Saif regarding the advancement of talks with the government.

In a major political development, the incarcerated PTI founder agreed to initiate dialogue with the government, following a recent offer extended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The former premier, however, has maintained that these talks be conducted away from the glare of television cameras to ensure meaningful outcomes.

The development was followed PM Shehbaz’s recent speech on the floor of the National Assembly, where he invited PTI to join the national dialogue.