Jailed leader says time for negotiations has passed, protest only route left
• Gohar finally meets party founder, asks supporters to prepare for ‘peaceful but powerful’ campaign
• Aleema says Imran’s sons, family will also join movement
ISLAMABAD: As PTI interim chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan on Tuesday met party founder Imran Khan in Adiala jail after more than a month of repeated attempts to gain access to the incarcerated former premier, who is said to be kept in solitary confinement, the party founder issued a nationwide protest call.
The meeting between the two party leaders revolved around the protest movement announced by Imran Khan, which will reach its “peak” on Aug 5 to mark the second year of his incarceration in multiple cases. According to a statement on his X account in the evening, Imran Khan ruled out any kind of dialogue, saying the time for dialogue had passed. “For the sake of the country, I have repeatedly talked about negotiations, but now the time for negotiations has passed. After the 26th Constitutional Amendment…the hope we had for justice from the courts has completely disappeared, so now no other method can bring the Pakistani nation out of this swamp of lawlessness except a nationwide protest movement,” the PTI founder said. It is pertinent to note that he does not have access to his social media accounts and someone else posts on his behalf.
“The complete plan of action for the nationwide movement will be presented this week – on August 5, my unjust imprisonment will complete 2 years. This day will be the culmination of our nationwide protest movement,” he said. “Now there will be no negotiations of any kind with anyone! There will be protests only on the streets so that the nation can get rid of the puppet rulers imposed by force,” he added. Speaking to reporters outside the prison, Barrister Gohar confirmed that the PTI founder asked party workers, supporters, and the general public to prepare for a peaceful but powerful protest campaign starting August 5. “This is not just about political revenge anymore—it’s about every citizen’s rights being stolen. The founder has said this movement should now take the shape of a second Pakistan Movement,” Barrister Gohar stated. He revealed that Khan, even while in solitary confinement, remained “mentally sharper and more determined than ever” and “despite being silenced, the founder has given us a message—prepare, mobilise, and raise your voice peacefully but fearlessly”.
The PTI leader also criticised the prison authorities for continued mistreatment and isolation of Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi, while also highlighting their prison conditions, disregard of court orders, and systemic efforts to break political resistance through isolation.
Mr Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, who did not meet her brother, also spoke to media persons outside the jail alongside her sisters. She also talked about the protest movement announced by her brother, claiming that the entire family will be a part of the movement. Ms Khan said that Imran’s sons, Qasim and Suleiman, will go to the US to highlight injustices meted out to their father before coming to Pakistan to become part of the movement and Imran Khan had been informed about this. However, Ms Khan did not clarify if the duo will join the movement before Aug 5 or after. She said a plan regarding their visit was being formulated.
Source: dawn.com/news/
