ISLAMABAD - Incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan on Friday said that he, being a politician, believed in holding talks with his political opponents as a solution to all problems the country is facing.
Talking to reporters inside Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, founding chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e- Insaf (PTI) Khan said that he had been an advocate of dialogue for the last 19 months. “A politician is always ready for a dialogue,” he said, adding that politicians always find a solution to the problem through negotiations.
The ex-premier made these remarks while answering questions whether he is ready for holding talks with his opponent political parties at a time when he is an advocate of having good relations with the neighbouring countries. Yesterday, Imran appeared in the court in the Adiala Jail for hearing of £190 million NCA and Toshakhana references filed by NAB.
The remarks of cricketer-turned politician came amidst ongoing criticism of him by his political opponents that he was inflexible and not ready to sit with them to hold talks to steer the country out of present political and economic crises. The PTI chief said that a three-member committee of his party had held a dialogue with the last government of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM). But the dialogue faced a deadlock after the then government led by Shehbaz Sharif had set a condition that elections could only be held after the retirement of then Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial.
The PTI chief went on to say that his biggest mistake was to take control of a weak government rather he should have gone into election once again.
“We should’ve gone back to elections after the weak and controlled government was given to us in 2018. Granting extension to Gen Bajwa was my second mistake,” Imran said.
He said that it should have been better for him to sit in the opposition rather than forming a weak coalition government in the centre. He further said that a hung parliament and weak government cannot find a solution to the country’s weak economy. “A strong government can bring reforms and improve the situation,” he said.
Imran further said that their candidates lost the election by 200 votes margin in the constituencies where more than 100,000 votes were polled and in 14 constituencies the margin of defeat was less than 3000 votes in the 2018 elections. While talking about the testimony of his principal secretary Azam Khan, Imran Khan said, Azam Khan spoke the truth in his testimony. He was kept for 40 days by ‘software update specialists’. “Even the National Security Council had condemned the cipher. The original cipher is always kept by the foreign ministry. What I received was the summary of the cipher. We had already declassified the cipher in the April 9 cabinet meeting,” Imran explained.
“Pakistani Army is our Army. General Bajwa told me once that 90 per cent Army supports PTI. I have problems only with the decisions they make. I’m a politician and politicians are always ready for table talk,” he said.
Imran Khan also criticized the speech of PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif at a rally and said, they spent 16 months in government and took Pakistan where it is right now. How will they do anything different if they come into power again? He also said that he is sure that Nawaz will run away after defeat in the elections.
Talking on the recent escalation between Iran and Pakistan, he said that Israel wants Iran and Pakistan to fight. “Iran has made a mistake by attacking Pakistan. I’ve said earlier that the situation shouldn’t have come to this level. We need peace at border and political stability,” Imran said adding Islamabad should maintain good relations with its neighbours, especially Iran. He said that had India not taken illegal steps in Occupied Kashmir on August 5, he as a premier would have tried his best to talk to the neighbouring country. In a separate message for his supporters from jail, PTI chairman-for-life Imran Khan called upon the people to come out in massive numbers on February 8 to cast their votes and “help realize his dream of true independence by freeing the country from the clutches of certified criminals.”
He made it clear that February 8 was the day to differentiate between freedom and slavery.
“I firmly believe that my nation will stand with freedom and they will guard and secure true independence of Pakistan with the power of their vote in the forthcoming general elections,” he added. Meanwhile, the hearing of the cases started. However, charges could not be framed against Imran Khan and his wife Bushra in the £190 million NCA case in the court of Judge M. Bashir.
Advocate Amjad Pervez, Prosecutor Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi and Sohail Arif represented NAB in both the cases, while Latif Khosa, Shehbaz Khosa, and Usman Gill represented Imran Khan and Bushra in both the references.
Imran filed an application for including new lawyers in his legal team. Now Barrister Ali Zafar, Sikandar Zulqarnain and Usman Gill will represent Imran in the £190 million NCA case. Imran argued before the court that he couldn’t accept the charges in the absence of his lawyer Barrister Ali Zafar. His lawyer can summarise the technicalities in the charges framed against him, he said.
On this, the judge didn’t frame the changes and adjourned the hearing till January 24.
Moreover, the statement of Assistant Commissioner, Islamabad Abdullah was recorded at the court in the Toshakhana reference. Statements of more witnesses in the reference will be recorded today. The court was adjourned until Saturday in the Toshakhana reference.