PTI Leader Rejects Deal for Imran Khan’s Release

Islamabad (Web Desk) – A senior leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has clarified that party founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan does not intend to secure his release from prison through a negotiated deal similar to that of Nawaz Sharif.

Speaking at a private news channel program, PTI’s Barrister Umair Niazi explained that negotiating such a deal would require significant concessions, including stepping away from politics or signing formal agreements — a path Imran is determined to avoid. “It is exactly that kind of situation,” Niazi remarked in response to a question comparing Imran to Nawaz Sharif.

Since 2023, PTI has repeatedly clashed with the ruling coalition, staging multiple marches to Islamabad to demand Imran’s release. These efforts were met with arrests and crackdowns. Negotiations mediated by National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq in early 2025 failed to yield results, with PTI withdrawing from talks citing the government’s failure to constitute judicial commissions on May 9, 2023, and November 26, 2024, as per its charter of demands.

PTI-government rift deepens as sit-in over Imran Khan continues

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had later proposed forming a parliamentary committee to advance dialogue, but PTI rejected the offer. PML-N Senator and Prime Minister’s aide Rana Sanaullah emphasized the need for trust-building among Pakistan’s top five political figures, including Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz Sharif, President Asif Ali Zardari, and Imran Khan, to pave the way for any political breakthrough.

Health concerns have also intensified debates around Imran’s imprisonment, particularly his deteriorating vision in the right eye. Meanwhile, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi announced plans to form an “Imran Khan Release Force,” a non-political, formal membership movement aimed at supporting his release. PTI leaders clarified that Imran has authorized National Assembly Opposition Leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai and Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas to lead negotiations and coordinate peaceful protests on his behalf.

KP CM’s Special Assistant on Information Shafiullah Jan confirmed that the sit-ins were paused due to Peshawar High Court orders and the Ramadan period, not backdoor political negotiations. He emphasized that the Release Force would be peaceful, inclusive of young volunteers beyond PTI, and dissolved once Imran is freed.