Journalist Muhammad Malick reported that former Prime Minister Imran Khan confronted senior leaders of his party during a meeting at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi. The meeting, which lasted two hours, included Senator Shibli Faraz, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, former party member Fawad Chaudhry, Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur, and lawyer Salman Akram Raja.
According to Malick, former Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi bluntly criticized the party’s leadership, telling Imran Khan, “You have appointed jokers to key positions.” During the discussion, Qureshi advised the party to prioritize dialogue over confrontation, suggesting that negotiations could help resolve issues if the government showed seriousness in initiating talks. Drawing on his “40 years of political experience,” Qureshi emphasized the importance of consulting him on critical decisions.
Imran Khan reportedly questioned the party’s strategy, asking why it retreated from D Chowk last month and why agitation was not pursued following the February 8 general elections. Despite skepticism from Khan about potential talks, Ali Amin Gandapur expressed optimism, encouraging patience until Saturday to gauge the government’s willingness for dialogue.
Khan outlined two key demands in a post on X (formerly Twitter): the formation of a judicial commission comprising the three most senior judges to investigate the events of May 9 and November 26 and the release of political prisoners. He warned that if these demands were not met by Sunday, the first phase of a civil disobedience movement, including a remittance boycott, would begin.
The former Prime Minister clarified that the postponement of the civil disobedience movement was in the broader national interest, asserting that the offer for dialogue should not be seen as a sign of weakness. Sources also claimed that Khan believed the new administration of U.S. President Donald Trump might intervene to secure his release.
