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.

The Friday assault on an Imambargah in the capital’s suburbs killed several and injured many, spotlighting vulnerabilities despite advanced monitoring like the Safe City cameras. Tarar rejected claims of security failures outright, pivoting instead to PTI’s record. He hailed past military campaigns—Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad and Zarb-e-Azb—that had nearly eradicated bombings and pacified Karachi.

‘Everything changed when a certain regime took over,’ Tarar noted cautiously, mindful of his official position. He alluded to PTI’s controversial overtures toward the banned TTP, quoting Khan’s past description of militants as ‘peace-loving brothers’ worthy of dialogue and resettlement.

‘Taliban Khan’s ideology is what we’re suffering from now,’ the minister asserted, crediting prior governments for decisively crushing terror networks by deporting and neutralizing threats. With biting sarcasm, Tarar quipped that PTI bore the blame for terrorism’s comeback.

PTI responded with outrage on its verified channels, accusing Tarar of insensitivity. ‘Opting for jokes, hate speech, and grins a day after a horrific terror strike reveals their disregard for ordinary Pakistanis,’ one post stated. Labeling him a ‘clown,’ PTI lambasted the administration: ‘Four years in power, yet this jester’s smirking blame game exposes the caliber of leadership handed the reins.’

This latest clash highlights Pakistan’s vicious cycle of violence and vitriol. While terrorists strike at will, politicians trade barbs, offering little solace to a populace weary of fear and finger-pointing. As attacks proliferate, the need for unified action grows urgent, yet partisan divides only widen.