- Safdar met Imran after months-long restrictions.
- Gohar says little political discussion took place.
- PTI chairman denies forward bloc in KP.
RAWALPINDI: PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan on Tuesday said incarcerated party founder Imran Khan had not welcomed the removal of his party’s government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, rejecting any suggestion that the former premier was pleased with the development.
Speaking to the media in Rawalpindi, Gohar said lawyer Barrister Salman Safdar had informed him that Imran was aware of the emergency and governor’s rule imposed in KP.
“Imran Khan did not say that it was good that the KP government had ended,” Gohar said, adding that there had not been much political discussion during Safdar’s meeting with the PTI founder.
He said Safdar had not brought back any major political message from Imran following the meeting.
Safdar met Imran and his wife Bushra Bibi at Adiala jail on Monday after repeated requests for access. The lawyer said the meeting lasted around 40 minutes and primarily covered their health, living conditions and pending legal matters.
Gohar welcomed the meeting, saying restrictions on access to Imran had contributed to heightened political tensions.
He maintained that greater access to the PTI founder could have helped ease tensions and said the situation might not have reached the point of emergency and governor’s rule in KP had meetings been allowed.
The PTI chairman said the party had repeatedly attempted to arrange political meetings with Imran, including seeking access for himself and Allama Raja Nasir Abbas. After those efforts failed, he said, the party sought a meeting between Safdar and the former premier.
Gohar also denied reports that his name had been finalised for a meeting with Imran.
‘No forward bloc in KP’
Addressing speculation about divisions within PTI following the suspension of its provincial government, Gohar said all the party’s KP lawmakers stood with Imran and that there was no forward bloc.
He said any decision in the event of such a situation arising would ultimately be taken by the PTI founder.
Gohar also referred to the detention of KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and the provincial assembly speaker, saying a case concerning their recovery had been heard by the Peshawar High Court and referred to a larger bench.
He said it was “beyond comprehension” that the chief minister and speaker could go missing and expressed hope that the case would be heard soon.
Gohar calls for easing political tensions
Commenting on the broader political situation, Gohar said tensions needed to be reduced if political forces wanted to work for the country, its people and democracy.
Referring to recent remarks by JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Gohar said some of the words used by the veteran politician could have been avoided, but added that the manner in which government representatives responded was also inappropriate.
The PTI chairman said the party was also trying to convene an all-parties conference.
He reiterated PTI’s demand that Imran receive medical treatment and that his personal doctors be granted access to him.
Gohar also said there had been no discussion about transferring Imran either to Bani Gala or to a prison in Islamabad.
