Meeting with PM Shehbaz on PTI founder fell through, claims Fawad Chaudhry
- By Web Desk -
- Dec 17, 2025
ISLAMABAD: Former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry has revealed that a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was on the horizon to discuss the issue of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, who remains incarcerated.
Speaking on ARY News programme The Reporters, Fawad Chaudhry said discussions had taken place with government circles who wanted political tensions to ease. He said the issue surrounding Imran Khan has both political and non-political dimensions, adding that the government has been unable to counter Imran Khan’s narrative effectively.
Fawad stated that contacts exist with both the government and PTI’s senior leadership, stressing that a conducive environment for dialogue must be created first.
He said the leadership capable of holding talks is currently imprisoned in Kot Lakhpat Jail, while figures such as Salman Akram Raja and Barrister Gohar neither have direct coordination with Imran Khan nor meaningful engagement from his side.
He suggested that progress is only possible if the government takes a step forward and the PTI founder takes a step back.
According to him, overseas Pakistanis have conveyed that if the political temperature is reduced, they are willing to invest up to one million dollars within six months.
He added that although senior government ministers want improvement, dialogue cannot move forward unless the establishment, the government, and Imran Khan all engage.
Fawad Chaudhry further said that providing relief to PTI leaders jailed in Kot Lakhpat could help create space for talks.
He named Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Ejaz Chaudhry, Umar Cheema, Yasmin Rashid, and Mahmood Rasheed as leaders whose release could facilitate negotiations involving Imran Khan.
Commenting on past events, Fawad Chaudhry said former army chief General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa and the government had announced election timelines three times, but elections did not take place, leading Imran Khan to believe he was being misled.
He claimed the core issue between Bajwa and Imran Khan was political popularity and future extensions.
Fawad Chaudhry also admitted that cutting off contacts on the PTI founder’s instructions was a major mistake, noting that even Faisal Vawda had repeatedly advised against ending communication channels.