‘Were close to progress in getting Imran released before the Nov 26 episode’

ISLAMABAD: Barrister Gohar on Tuesday said they were “close to making progress” in getting Imran Khan released before the Nov 26 saga, the day PTI led another charge towards Islamabad in an attempt to make the accept their demands.

However, the move became last of the episodes where the PTI tried to assemble a crowd of thousands of supporters in the federal capital while using the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government resources.

Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur was leading the rally on that day. But there was a change as Bushra Bibi also mounted a container to attract more people and ensure that Gandapur would remain “faithful” to the leader.

But Gohar, the PTI chairman, did not explain with whom they were holding talks and who would have ensured that Imran would be out of the Adiala jail, where he is languishing first after his arrest and later the conviction.

He told reporters that a breakthrough was possible in case of progress in the initial talks and regretted that the matters could not move forward.

This assertion about the “initial talks” means that they had made very little actual progress and unable to reach a stage where there could be hope for achieving their goal.

Read more: DG ISPR refutes reports of backchannel contacts with Imran Khan

LEAVE THE DOOR OPEN

Stressing the need for always leaving the door the open for dialogue, Gohar said he had come to visit Imran after a month. A solution could be found by meeting the PTI founder, he opined.

The Islamabad High Court’s directives clearly stated that there should no be hurdles in meeting Imran, Gohar said. Encouraging statements [of Imran] would be shared when more people were allowed to visit him, he added.

Meanwhile, Imran, unlike what Gohar is saying, has always rejected the option of holding talks with political parties and called for “dialogue with those who hold the real power”.

DESPERATION

In a sign of desperation, the PTI chairman said at least access should be given, if releasing Imran wasn’t possible, as he also called for fewer restrictions in future so that matters could move forward.  

One may recall that the government had to use force to disperse the violent crowd, amid the officials statements about the presence of armed men among the protesters.

In the end, both Gandapur and Bushra Bibi suddenly left Islamabad leaving their supporters in a lurch, as they were told that no one would return without opening the Adiala jail gate.

Since then, the PTI hasn’t again tried to march towards Islamabad.

RUMOURS

The latest revelation by Gohar isn’t really new, with similar claims made by other party leaders and experts who are considered close to the PTI.

In recent days, a TV channel talk-show host claimed that three-time former prime minister Nawaz Sharif wanted to visit Imran in the prison to resolve the issue.

However, the PML-N supremo himself nor his daughter Maryam Nawaz as their usual practice didn’t bother to confirm or deny the media reports that followed.

After two or three days, other PML-N leaders, however, rejected the reports categorically.

Read more: Officials reject Nawaz‑Imran talks, PPP‑PML‑N rift, Zardari exit

Previously, the unending series of rumours saw even respected journalists claim that the establishment had contacted Imran in the prison amid the Indian aggression.

However, this claim too fizzled out like many others.