RAWALPINDI (MNN); Senior leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday reiterated their allegiance to jailed party founder Imran Khan, while emphasizing the need for political dialogue and consultation ahead of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa budget.
Speaking to reporters outside Adiala Jail, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said the provincial government would proceed with the budget process. However, his remarks were interrupted by Aleema Khan, who questioned why the government was moving forward without first arranging a meeting between the PTI founder and party leadership.
Aleema Khan said Imran Khan had made a similar request last year and insisted that discussions on the budget should take place with him before its final approval.
Afridi said PTI’s foremost demand was the transfer of Imran Khan to Shifa International Hospital for medical treatment. He maintained that the former prime minister should be allowed treatment in the presence of his family and personal physician, alleging that restrictions on meetings were being imposed for ulterior motives.
Reaffirming the party’s position, Afridi said decisions made by Imran Khan from prison remained binding on the party. He also rejected reports of a forward bloc within the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, describing such claims as propaganda aimed at diverting attention and facilitating the passage of the federal budget.
The chief minister said the provincial cabinet had approved budget proposals and clarified that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would present a people-friendly budget focused on healthcare, education, agriculture, youth development and forestry rather than a surplus budget.
Meanwhile, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan reiterated that political disputes should be resolved through dialogue. Speaking near the Dahgal Check-post on Adiala Road, he said PTI had never pursued confrontation and remained committed to engagement.
Gohar confirmed that discussions had taken place with the Pakistan Peoples Party regarding matters related to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, although no talks had been held at the federal level. Commenting on the proposed 28th Constitutional Amendment, he said the government did not appear serious about advancing the proposal at present.
He also said the nation remained concerned about Imran Khan’s situation and stressed that PTI considered itself an integral part of Pakistan. Referring to the cipher case, Gohar noted that Imran Khan had already been acquitted and described the matter as part of history.
The PTI chairman criticized delays in political engagement and called for the establishment of a permanent communication mechanism or hotline to promote confidence-building and continuous dialogue among political stakeholders.
Separately, PTI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa President Junaid Akbar dismissed speculation about internal divisions within the party. He said if Imran Khan had been dissatisfied with the party’s performance, he would have replaced its office-bearers himself.
Akbar maintained that neither he nor any other party leader possessed the influence to create a forward bloc within PTI and said all 92 PTI lawmakers in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly would follow the party’s official policy regarding the budget. He acknowledged that some lawmakers had concerns and revealed that he had met seven disgruntled MPAs to address their grievances.
Meanwhile, jail sources said a four-member medical team conducted a comprehensive medical examination of Imran Khan at Adiala Jail. The team examined his eyesight and carried out a detailed health assessment.
Prison sources also confirmed that Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi held a 50-minute meeting in the jail’s conference room, where they discussed various matters.
Separately, Aleema Khan said meeting her brother was a constitutional and legal right and warned that the family would not remain silent if denied access to him. She rejected reports of any meeting between Imran Khan and a former army chief, describing such claims as false and politically motivated.
