Lahore: Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Saturday that he will only negotiate with the military establishment, claiming that talks with the “puppet” Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government will be pointless.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran, who has been in prison since August 2023 and faces multiple cases following the ouster of his government in April 2022, expressed his views through social media.
“Engaging in any talks with the puppet Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government is pointless. This illegitimate Form-47 installed government has already wasted two months. Its only objective is to cling to false authority. It holds no real power,” Imran posted on X.
“Talks will only be held with those who actually hold power (military establishment), and only in the national interest. I do not fear hardship as my resolve remains strong.”
Alleging that fabricated political cases, forced abductions, and coerced press conferences are being carried out to force PTI members to publicly disassociate from the party, Imran stated, “All prove that the rule of law has been entirely dismantled… What we now have is the law of the jungle.”
He also condemned ongoing trials related to the May 9, 2023 events as a “false flag operation” intended to crush PTI, saying that “No CCTV footage has been presented to this day.”
The cricketer-turned-politician, Pakistan’s only World Cup-winning captain, dismissed talk of any negotiation attempts with the Shehbaz Sharif government.
“No one has approached me for any negotiations. News claiming otherwise is entirely false.”
The statements on X mention that
Imran, who is lodged in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, shares his messages with lawyers, who then post these on his account.
Imran earlier slammed Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir’s promotion to field marshal, saying in a statement on X that the title of ‘king’ would have been more fitting.