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PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan. PHOTO: EXPRESS
RAWALPINDI:
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has said any formal announcement regarding any protest movement against the government or talks with it will be made by leaders of opposition in the National Assembly and Senate — Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Allama Raja Nasir Abbas
“Achakzai, along with Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, has been given the mandate to decide on protest and negotiation strategies,” Gohar said on Tuesday while speaking to the media outside Adiala Jail, where PTI founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi are detained.
“The party has urged both leaders to utilise all available political options,” he added.
Achakzai and Abbas, elected to the key positions with PTI support after the disqualification of their predecessors, respectively head the PkMAP and MWM parties.
Gohar rejected the impression that internal issues were caused by the PTI founder’s sisters, stating that the party had never blamed them for any difficulties.
He said the sisters had already clarified that they would not name anyone after meeting their jailed brother, and urged authorities to allow a meeting. “You should at least test this once and arrange the meeting,” he remarked.
Expressing frustration, Gohar said that PTI leaders had repeatedly visited the jail but returned without meeting Imran Khan.
“On a day when prisoners across the world are allowed to meet their loved ones, denying a meeting is a criminal act,” he said, warning that blocking access and closing doors would not improve the situation but could instead lead to further deterioration.
He also touched upon the broader security environment, saying Pakistan must address threats emanating from Afghanistan to curb terrorism.
“Wherever threats to Pakistan exist, it is the country’s right to eliminate them,” he said, adding that the armed forces act responsibly in such matters.
Meanwhile, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja also stated that Achakzai and Abbas have been authorised for both resistance and negotiations.
“All steps will be carefully thought out and the party will act with wisdom and strategy,” he said, assuring supporters that all decisions would be taken in line with national interests.
Raja reiterated that Imran Khan’s health and release remained the party’s top priority, while also stressing the importance of Pakistan’s stability and integrity. He condemned aggression by Israel and the United States against Iran, saying the PTI opposed such actions.
Earlier in the day, none of the PTI leaders or family members were allowed to meet Imran Khan or his wife Bushra Bibi despite it being a designated meeting day.
According to jail sources, however, a meeting between Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi did take place inside the prison’s conference room, where health and other matters were discussed.
Frustrated over the denial of access, Imran Khan’s sisters — Aleema Khan, Uzma Khan, and Noreen Niazi — staged a protest on Adiala Road.
Party workers also gathered at the site, where arrangements for iftar were made. After recording their protest and breaking the fast, the family members and supporters dispersed peacefully.
