• PTI negotiators not satisfied after meeting party chief in jail, demand ‘unmonitored access’
• Barrister Gohar plays down need to submit demands in writing, asks govt to move forward
• PTI founder moves court against denial of basic facilities by jail admin

ISLAMABAD: Amid no headway in talks between the government and the opposition, the sister of PTI founder Imran Khan on Tuesday claimed that the former prime minister was offered a deal by the authorities regarding his transfer from Adiala jail in Rawalpindi to his residence in Banigala.

After a meeting with Imran Khan in jail, Aleema Khan told media persons outside the prison that her brother received several offers through Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur. She claimed that her brother was continuously getting such offers with a suggestion that he should remain silent, but asked how he could agree to house arrest after spending so much time in jail.

Last week, both the government and the PTI denied that any sort of offer was on the table to move the former prime minister from Adiala jail to Banigala or any other location.

‘Unmonitored access’

Meanwhile, the PTI’s negotiations with the government on two points — the release of prisoners and the formation of a judicial commission to probe anti-party crackdown — did not seem to head in a positive direction despite a meeting between Imran Khan and the PTI negotiators.

After talks commenced in the last week of December, the PTI demanded uninterrupted access to the party founder for his input in the dialogue. After much dilly-dallying, the PTI leaders were finally given access to Imran Khan on Tuesday. Following the meeting, the PTI leaders held a press conference in which they demanded an ‘unmonitored’ meeting with the party founder.

PTI leader Omar Ayub said that the negotiating team clearly demanded an unmonitored meeting with Imran Khan, but the government was not allowing it despite the fact that the government’s committee accepted it during the talks. He alleged that the PTI team could not discuss matters with the former premier due to the alleged spy gadgets installed in the meeting room.

During the presser, the party’s interim chairman Gohar Ali Khan suggested that tensions between the government and the opposition should be defused. He added the government should not make an issue out of the party’s failure to share its demands in writing.

Barrister Salman Akram Raja said the PTI had already shared its two demands — all political prisoners should be released and a judicial commission be formed over the May 9 and Nov 26 violence. He claimed it was a fact that the PTI was stopped from winning the 2024 elections and its victory was converted into a defeat. He said that it was strange that leaders of PTI were not allowed to meet Mr Khan in a free and unmonitored environment which had put a question mark on the government’s intentions.

Separately, PM’s adviser on law and justice, Barrister Aqeel Malik, told reporters in Taxila that the inconsistent attitude of the PTI could sink the negotiations process, as delaying tactics by the leadership of the opposition party could throw a wrench into the talks aimed at easing political tensions.

Imran moves court

Separately, former premier Imran Khan filed a petition in the court of Islamabad’s special judge central, saying that he was being denied basic rights guaranteed under the jail manual and other applicable laws.

In his petition filed through his counsel Advocate Faisal Hussain and Ali Ijaz Buttar, Mr Khan accused the jail authorities of subjecting him to inhumane treatment at the behest of the incumbent government.

The petitioner alleged politically motivated persecution, claiming the government was using illegal tactics to undermine his resolve and restrict his access to essential facilities.

The legal team highlighted several grievances, including the denial of weekly phone calls to his children residing in the United Kingdom, the refusal to allow visits from his personal doctor, and the lack of access to newspapers, reading material, and television.

The petition also alleged that the former premier was being kept in isolation and subjected to measures intended to cut him off from the outside world.

The petition further contended that the actions of the jail authorities were aimed at pressuring Imran Khan to abandon his political stance and commitment to democracy. The former prime minister also claimed he was being denied court-ordered permissions to contact his children and was barred from receiving visits from his family, lawyers, and political associates.

The legal team requested the court to direct jail authorities to allow weekly phone calls with his children, restore television access in his cell, permit his medical checkups by his personal doctor, and ensure compliance with jail manual provisions and prison rules.

In a related development, the Additional Sessions Court of Islamabad, presided over by Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka, adjourned the pre-arrest bail applications of Mr Khan and Bushra Bibi until January 28.

The cases pertain to charges linked to protests in the federal capital. During the hearing, Bushra Bibi’s legal team submitted an application seeking her exemption from personal attendance, which was accepted by the court.

The judge stated that all bail applications would be decided together and noted that partial arguments had been presented. However, the video presence of the PTI founder remained pending. The court confirmed that the next hearing, scheduled for January 28, will address all outstanding issues.

Amjad Iqbal in Taxila also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, January 8th, 2025