In a significant development, PTI founding chairman and ex-prime minister Imran Khan has confirmed that he authorised Azam Swati to begin dialogue with the establishment. The instruction was not linked to his legal troubles. It was, as Imran stressed, purely for Pakistan’s interest.
This statement came during a meeting inside Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi. Imran Khan met with party leaders and his legal team on Tuesday. The attendees included PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Senator Ali Zafar, and lawyers Zaheer Abbas, Mubashar Awan, and Ali Imran.
According to sources present in the meeting, Imran made it clear that he never shut the door on dialogue with the establishment. However, he firmly stated that all talks with the current government had ended. He described the ruling setup as powerless and without genuine authority.
During the discussion, Senator Ali Zafar raised the issue of a recent video by Azam Swati. In the video, Swati disclosed that Imran Khan had privately instructed him to pursue communication with the military top brass. Swati said that the discussions were sensitive and must remain confidential. He also said that while Imran had criticized the military publicly, efforts continued behind the scenes to rebuild a channel of communication.
Imran responded to this by repeating his earlier position. He made it clear that the dialogue with the establishment had no personal motive. “This is not for relief in my cases,” Imran said. “It’s about Pakistan, democracy, the people’s mandate, and the rule of law,” he added.
The former premier underlined his stance on legal matters. He said he would fight all his cases in court. He firmly ruled out any hidden deals or secret arrangements. While dismissing talks with the government, he once again expressed readiness to engage with the military leadership through meaningful dialogue.
