Conviction aimed at forcing political deal: Imran Khan

PTI founder views verdict as pressure tactic aimed at coercing him into striking deal with government, says Aleema Khan

Faisal Sheikh

Rawalpindi: Incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan stated on Monday that the verdict in the £190 million Al-Qadir Trust case would not impact the ongoing dialogue, as quoted by his sister Aleema Khan.

“This verdict has nothing to do with the [PTI] negotiation committees [and the process],” Aleema quoted him as saying on Monday after meeting her brother at Adiala jail, Rawalpindi.

Last week, an accountability court in Rawalpindi convicted PTI founder Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, in the high-profile corruption case, triggering speculations about the future of the ongoing talks between the government and the former ruling party.

Judge Nasir Javed Rana handed down a 14-year sentence to the PTI founder and a seven-year sentence to his wife in the case.

The 71-year-old cricketer-turned-politician has been behind bars since August last year after he was sentenced in the Toshakhana Case-I, one of the dozens of cases registered against the former premier since his ouster from power in April 2022.

During her interaction with journalists today, Aleema said that Khan views the verdict as a pressure tactic aimed at coercing him into striking a deal [on government’s terms].

She reiterated that her brother would face legal cases rather than making any deal. Responding to a question, she said that the verdict in the £190m case had become a “joke” in the world.

She also slammed Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz for her remarks and intentions about Al-Qadir University.

For his part, Advocate Faisal Hussain Chaudhry, Khan’s counsel, said that PTI entered the dialogue process for the “broader interest of the country”.

He clarified that they were not seeking any relief for their supporters but the right to a fair trial.

The lawyer also urged the jail authorities to arrange the next meeting between the PTI leaders and the ex-prime minister in an open environment.

The PTI leadership has claimed that their [last] meeting with Khan was held in a “controlled environment”.

Meanwhile, PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui, who is also the spokesperson for the government’s negotiation committee, rubbished the media reports claiming the ruling alliance had refused to constitute a judicial commission to probe the May 9 and November 26 events.