- Najam Sethi says no reconciliation is possible between Imran Khan and the establishment.
- He claims Khan would neither seek release through a deal nor stay politically inactive after leaving prison.
- Sethi says President Zardari backs the proposed 28th Constitutional Amendment.
- He also claims the PPP is quietly consulting on creating new provinces.
Senior journalist and political analyst Najam Sethi has said he sees no chance of a settlement between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and the establishment. In his view, neither side is likely to reach an understanding with the other.
In this article
Sethi made the remarks on his programme, where he also touched on a reported meeting between the president and the interior minister, the future of PCB Hotels and the proposed 28th Constitutional Amendment. This report sets out what Najam Sethi said on each subject and keeps his assessments separate from established fact.
Najam Sethi’s remarks can be grouped under four headings: the relationship between Imran Khan and the establishment, the reported Zardari–Naqvi meeting, the interest in PCB Hotels, and the proposed 28th Constitutional Amendment together with the idea of new provinces.
Why Najam Sethi sees no Imran Khan deal
According to Sethi, Khan and the establishment cannot come onto the same page. He said there was no possibility of a deal between them.
He argued that Khan regards himself as the most popular political leader in the country. Sethi claimed Khan is confident that he would return as prime minister if free and fair elections were held.
According to Sethi, Khan would not agree to obtain his release through an arrangement with the establishment. Nor, he said, would Khan be willing to stay out of politics once he leaves prison.
Put simply, the argument made by Najam Sethi rests on two points about Khan. The first is that Khan sees himself as the most popular leader and expects to become prime minister again if elections are free and fair. The second is that Khan would accept neither a deal for his release nor a break from politics after prison.
From these two points, Sethi concluded that reconciliation between Imran Khan and the establishment is not possible. He described the two sides as unable to reach an understanding with each other.
Najam Sethi explained in plain terms
For readers who want a short summary, the remarks of Najam Sethi can be read as four connected statements. Each one is described below as Sethi presented it.
- On Imran Khan: Sethi says Khan and the establishment cannot reach an understanding and that reconciliation is not possible.
- On the Zardari–Naqvi meeting: Sethi says the president and the interior minister discussed political as well as business matters in Nawabshah.
- On PCB Hotels: Sethi claims several influential circles want to acquire them, with Zardari reportedly among those interested.
- On the constitution: Sethi says Zardari supports the proposed 28th Constitutional Amendment and claims the PPP is consulting quietly on new provinces.
None of these statements is presented in the available material as an official announcement. They are the views and claims of Najam Sethi, delivered on his programme.
Najam Sethi on the Zardari–Naqvi meeting and PCB Hotels
Sethi also commented on a reported meeting in Nawabshah between President Asif Ali Zardari and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. He said the two discussed political as well as business matters.
On the business side, Sethi claimed that several influential circles want to acquire the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Hotels. He said Zardari was reportedly among those interested in the deal.
In other words, Najam Sethi linked the reported meeting to two areas of discussion, politics and business. On the business side, he pointed to the PCB Hotels as the subject of interest and said Zardari was reportedly one of those who want to acquire them.
The future of PCB Hotels was one of the topics Sethi raised on his programme, alongside the meeting itself and the proposed constitutional change.
Najam Sethi on the 28th Amendment and new provinces
On constitutional questions, Sethi said President Zardari has expressed support for the proposed 28th Constitutional Amendment.
He further claimed that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is holding consultations behind the scenes on creating new provinces. According to Sethi, the party wants to finalise that process.
Najam Sethi therefore presented two separate claims in this part of his remarks. The first is that the president supports the proposed 28th Constitutional Amendment. The second is that the PPP is quietly consulting on new provinces and wants to complete the process.
How Najam Sethi describes Imran Khan’s stance
Sethi’s assessment of Khan centres on confidence. In his account, Khan believes he is the most popular political leader in the country and is sure he would return as prime minister if free and fair elections were held.
Sethi argued that this belief shapes what Khan would accept. A deal for release would not be acceptable to Khan, and neither would staying out of politics once he leaves prison.
On that basis, Sethi said Khan and the establishment cannot come onto the same page. His conclusion is stated plainly: no deal is possible, and neither side is likely to reach an understanding with the other.
Background: who is who in Najam Sethi’s remarks
The following points restate the people and bodies mentioned in the remarks, exactly as they appear in the report.
- Najam Sethi: a senior journalist and political analyst who made the remarks on his programme.
- Imran Khan: the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), whom Sethi says regards himself as the most popular political leader in the country.
- Asif Ali Zardari: the president, who Sethi says supports the proposed 28th Constitutional Amendment and was reportedly among those interested in PCB Hotels.
- Mohsin Naqvi: the interior minister, who reportedly met President Zardari in Nawabshah.
- Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP): the party that Sethi claims is consulting behind the scenes on creating new provinces.
- Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB): the body whose hotels, according to Sethi, several influential circles want to acquire.
Analysis and claims, not official positions
The points above are Sethi’s own assessments and claims. The material available does not include any response from the PTI, the presidency, the interior minister, the PPP or the PCB.
Readers should therefore treat the remarks on Khan’s intentions, the PCB Hotels interest and the PPP’s consultations as unconfirmed commentary rather than established fact.
This distinction matters because Najam Sethi spoke as an analyst. His statements about what Khan would or would not accept, and about what the PPP wants to do, describe intentions that Sethi attributes to others and that have not been confirmed in the material available.
Key takeaways from Najam Sethi
- Najam Sethi says Imran Khan and the establishment cannot reach an understanding.
- Sethi claims Khan would not seek release through a deal and would not stay out of politics after prison.
- Sethi says Khan is confident of returning as prime minister if free and fair elections were held.
- Sethi says Zardari and Naqvi discussed political and business matters in Nawabshah.
- Sethi claims several influential circles want the PCB Hotels, with Zardari reportedly among them.
- Sethi says Zardari supports the proposed 28th Constitutional Amendment and claims the PPP wants to finalise new provinces.
Questions and answers
What did Najam Sethi say about Imran Khan and the establishment?
Sethi said the two sides cannot come onto the same page and that no deal between them is possible. He claimed Khan would not seek release through an understanding and would not stay politically inactive after leaving prison.
Who is Najam Sethi?
He is a senior journalist and political analyst. He made the remarks covered in this report on his programme.
Why does Sethi think Imran Khan will not make a deal?
Sethi argued that Khan regards himself as the most popular political leader in the country and is confident of returning as prime minister if free and fair elections were held. He also claimed Khan would not stay out of politics after leaving prison.
What did Sethi claim about PCB Hotels?
He claimed that several influential circles are interested in acquiring the PCB Hotels. He said President Asif Ali Zardari was reportedly among those interested.
Where did Zardari and Naqvi meet, and what did they discuss?
Sethi commented on a reported meeting in Nawabshah between President Asif Ali Zardari and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. He said they discussed political as well as business matters.
What did Sethi say about the 28th Constitutional Amendment?
He said President Zardari has expressed support for the proposed amendment. He also claimed the PPP is quietly consulting on creating new provinces and wants to finalise the process.
What did Sethi say about new provinces?
Sethi claimed that the Pakistan Peoples Party is holding consultations behind the scenes on creating new provinces. According to him, the party wants to finalise that process.
Which other topics did Sethi raise on his programme?
Besides Imran Khan and the establishment, he touched on a reported meeting between the president and the interior minister, the future of PCB Hotels and the proposed 28th Constitutional Amendment.
Would Imran Khan stay out of politics after leaving prison, according to Sethi?
No. Sethi said Khan would not be willing to stay out of politics once he leaves prison, and that he would not obtain release through an arrangement with the establishment.
Are Najam Sethi’s claims confirmed?
No. The material available does not include any response from the PTI, the presidency, the interior minister, the PPP or the PCB, so the remarks should be treated as unconfirmed commentary.
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