Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has strongly refuted Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur's recent claims regarding the transfer of PTI founder Imran Khan to Nathia Gali or any other location, calling them "99% false".
Speaking during Samaa TV talk show, 'Redline with Talat', Khawaja Asif stated, “There was never any discussion about shifting the PTI founder to another place. This seems more like PTI’s own wishful thinking rather than reality.”
The defence minister further elaborated that if there had been any backdoor negotiations or offers from the establishment, Imran Khan would not have felt the need to write a letter to Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir.
“This letter is basically an appeal to go easy on him,” Asif remarked, dismissing suggestions of any covert dialogue between the PTI and the military.
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Khawaja Asif also criticized the PTI leadership, accusing them of misleading their supporters. “PTI leaders continuously fabricate stories to keep their workers satisfied,” he said, reiterating that the government has not engaged in any secret talks with the party.
On Feb 3, speaking during Samaa TV program, ‘Nadeem Malik Live’, Ali Amin Gandapur had said that work was in progress on matters for the transfer of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Founder Imran Khan from Adiala Jail, adding that he had brought things to black and white in this regard.
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“Now if the other party backs down, it means they will backtrack from their word,” he said.
The KP chief minister said that in his meeting with the army chief in Peshawar, he had advocated bringing all parties on board, while all political parties were present during that meeting. Without the cooperation of the people, the war against terrorism could not be fought, he insisted, adding that the army chief told them to sit with the federal government.
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The KP CM said that the PTI’s official contacts with the powers-that-be started after October 4. “I am the chief minister; I have maintained official contacts. It was suggested that the PTI founder should be transferred somewhere and continue back-channel talks with him. But he wants his workers to be released first before his transfer,” Gandapur revealed.
He said there was a proposal to have a sit-down meeting with Imran Khan, which involved shifting Imran Khan to Nathia Gali or the KP Chief Minister's House. “It’s not that he himself wanted to go anywhere, but he had said that the talks should be held here only.”
