A storm of speculation has gripped Pakistan’s political corridors after aides to PM Shehbaz Sharif issued clashing statements on jailed PTI leader Imran Khan. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar moved swiftly to douse the flames, categorically denying any ‘deal’ or softening of stance toward the former premier.
In a pointed X post, Tarar dismissed media hype as baseless. ‘Imran Khan is a convicted criminal, facing court-mandated punishment. Stories of leniency are unfounded lies,’ he asserted. This comes as Khan endures a 14-year term in Adiala Jail for a massive corruption scandal involving $190 million, plus recent convictions on state gift misuse and looming trials over violent 2023 protests.
Triggering the uproar was Rana Sanaullah’s candid Aaj TV appearance, where the PM’s advisor admitted to multiple backchannel talks. Efforts after November 2024 unrest involved key figures like Mohsin Naqvi and Ali Amin Gandapur, but Khan’s ‘unreasonable demands’ derailed progress. Sanaullah painted Khan as obstinate, noting a foreign-linked mediator who briefly won tentative agreement before Khan backed out.
PTI insiders reportedly pushed for January negotiations, vetoed by Khan himself. Adding fuel, Barrister Danyal Chaudhry rejected deals outright, per Dawn, while affirming openness to dialogue sans pressure. PTI’s health worries for Khan—citing a Supreme Court-noted 15% vision loss in one eye—prompted mentions of possible overseas treatment, strictly medical.
Tarar’s intervention reveals fault lines within the PML-N camp, as the government grapples with PTI’s enduring clout. With elections looming and tensions high, this episode signals deeper rifts that could reshape Pakistan’s volatile power dynamics.