ISLAMABAD – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former prime minister Imran Khan has stated that both the establishment and PTI are vital for the country and its people.
This was revealed by Advocate Faisal Chaudhry during a media talk after meeting Imran Khan at Adiala Jail. He said that a list of six lawyers was submitted, but only Naeem Haider Panjotha and Usman Gill were allowed to meet Imran Khan.
“I stepped out and asked for Panjotha to be called in,” he added. He confirmed Imran Khan’s health is good, but the former PM was informed that his sisters were not allowed to meet him.
Faisal Chaudhry said that party leaders and lawyers are also being restricted from meeting Imran Khan. “Only two names on the list were allowed entry, while the rest were stopped,” he added.
During the meeting, Imran Khan expressed concerns over the aftermath of the 26th Constitutional Amendment. He said the legal committee and party leadership would write to the Chief Justice regarding these issues, adding that the cases are not being scheduled in court and his wife, Bushra Bibi, is being mistreated.
Faisal Chaudhry said that legal matters were discussed with Imran Khan by Usman Gul and Faisal Malik, while political developments were also shared with him.
He questioned why Imran Khan’s family was being denied their constitutional right to meet him, saying, “We have previously met with nine lawyers at a time.”
Imran Khan reiterated that PTI is a federal party capable of uniting Pakistan, and both PTI and the establishment are needed for national unity.
He also discussed the denial of meetings with political colleagues and mentioned a phone call with his children that took place three weeks ago. Usman Gul informed him that a contempt of court petition would be heard on April 28.
Regarding the Mines and Minerals Bill, Imran Khan said it has become controversial and demanded that the KP Chief Minister and senior leadership brief him. He emphasized that public confidence is necessary to avoid future complications.
Speaking on Afghanistan, Imran Khan stated that he spent three years on the issue and had previously advised that terrorism could only be tackled through dialogue with Afghanistan and involving them in the process.
He criticized the current government for wasting time, resulting in the loss of precious lives, including soldiers, and said that such critical factors were ignored. “Even now, there is no foreign direct investment,” he noted.
Imran Khan concluded that without foreign exchange, development is not possible in Pakistan, and investment will only come when the rule of law is ensured. He lamented that to crush PTI, the country has been turned into a banana republic, and every institution—be it the judiciary, FIA, or police—has been ruined.