Govt rules out any deal or concessions for PTI, says Tariq Fazal

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry has ruled out any possibility of a deal, leniency or concessions for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), rejecting reports of possible backchannel contacts between the government and the opposition party.

Speaking to a private television channel on Thursday, the minister said there were no negotiations with PTI that could influence the legal proceedings involving its founder, Imran Khan.

His statement came a day after PTI lawyers Sardar Latif Khosa and Barrister Salman Safdar met Imran at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi following an Islamabad High Court (IHC) order. The meeting took place amid growing speculation about the former prime minister’s health and possible political developments.

Chaudhry strongly dismissed suggestions that the government was considering any arrangement to provide relief to the PTI founder, saying there was no room for such an arrangement.

The minister also criticised PTI’s legal team for linking Imran’s health concerns with political developments. He argued that the party’s lawyers were either politicising the former prime minister’s medical condition or making claims that did not reflect reality.

He described speculation about an impending political change as baseless and said statements based on assumptions could damage the party’s interests.

Chaudhry further cautioned against media reports relying on unnamed sources, saying such coverage was doing more harm than good to PTI.

He suggested that the party’s legal representatives should concentrate on legal arguments instead of turning health-related concerns into political statements, adding that this could help them pursue possible relief through legal channels.

Questioning PTI’s political approach, the minister said the party could not simultaneously portray itself as uncompromising while actively seeking meetings and contacts.

He urged its leadership to clarify whether it wanted to continue its existing political stance or engage in dialogue.

Chaudhry maintained that the government had repeatedly offered negotiations to PTI. He also recalled that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had extended an invitation to the party to resolve political differences through talks.

Meanwhile, Wednesday’s meeting between Imran and his lawyers reportedly lasted around three to four hours. The legal team discussed his health, Bushra Bibi’s condition and pending court cases.

Following the meeting, Safdar said both Imran and Bushra had provided comprehensive instructions regarding their legal matters.

Khosa subsequently raised concerns about Imran’s medical condition, claiming that his blood pressure had fluctuated to a “frightening level”. He also said the former prime minister continued to experience problems with his eyesight.

However, Khosa maintained that Imran remained alert and in strong spirits. He also confirmed that the possibility of a 28th Constitutional Amendment had been discussed during the meeting but declined to disclose further details.

The IHC had ordered authorities to facilitate the meeting while hearing appeals filed by Imran and Bushra against their convictions in the £190 million Al-Qadir Trust case. The court also directed their lawyers to begin arguments at the next hearing.