RAWALPINDI:
Lawyer Gohar Ali Khan, chairman of the PTI, said on Tuesday that meaningful negotiations with the government could move forward only if a favorable political environment was created.
He said the simultaneous condemnations of PTI workers and calls for dialogue sent contradictory signals.
Speaking to media after being stopped by police near Dahgal checkpoint while heading towards Adiala jail, Gohar said there had been no progress in talks with the government despite Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s offer of dialogue from the National Assembly.
He said confidence-building measures were essential before negotiations could bear fruit.
“The Prime Minister invited us for dialogue from the Assembly. We also said that political issues should be resolved through political means, but the government must create an enabling environment for negotiations.”
“On the one hand, our people are condemned, and on the other, we are talking about negotiations. This should not happen,” he lamented.
Commenting on the prison meetings, Gohar welcomed the decision to allow Bushra Bibi’s family to meet her. However, he expressed concern over restrictions on meetings with PTI founder Imran Khan.
“It is a good thing that Bushra Bibi’s family has been allowed to meet her. Meetings should be held. Imran Khan’s family should also be allowed to meet him, but 36 weeks have passed and no meeting has taken place. This is a matter of concern,” he said.
Clarifying reports regarding last month’s protest at Chungi No. 26, Gohar said he had not conveyed any message regarding any meeting.
He said the family supported Imran Khan’s transfer to a hospital for treatment. He recalled that a meeting with Bushra Bibi had also been planned the previous week but could not take place because his family did not arrive.
