Imran Khan did not receive government's message for dialogue: PTI chairman

Responding to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) stalwart Rana Sanaullah's statement on "reconciliation", Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan rejected receiving any formal invitation from the incumbent government for negotiations.

Incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan has confirmed that he did not receive any message for dialogues, Barrister Gohar said while speaking to reporters outside Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail today. “We will publicly confirm if we receive any invitation for talks.”

The politico categorically rejected holding dialogues with the incumbent government and said that his party would not hold any “secret talks”.

Regarding the hearing of the cipher case against the former premier at the Rawalpindi jail, Gohar said that the prosecutor presented 21 witnesses who recorded their testimonies today. He complained that Khan’s lawyers were “not given a chance to present evidence in the 14-hour hearing”.

About cases against Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi, Gohar said that the former first lady has no connection with the Toshakhana case but cases were lodged against her to pressurise the PTI founder.

Raising questions over the legitimacy of Sunday’s byelections, Gohar said that the PTI founder also expressed concerns over the recent electoral event in 21 national and provincial constituencies.

He alleged that “ballot boxes were already filled” before the polling process, and the results of Punjab seats were “pre-planned”. He also alleged that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) neither provided a level playing field to the former ruling party nor took returning officers (ROs) from the judiciary.