PTI founder likely to be released this year, claims PTI leader Aslam Ghuman

ISLAMABAD, July 29: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Brigadier (retd) Aslam Ghuman has said he expects to see PTI founder Imran Khan released this year, adding that political dialogue could have progressed if the government allowed party leaders to meet him in jail.

Speaking to ARY News Head of Investigations Naeem Ashraf Bhatt, Ghuman claimed that the current deadlock was because the government was not serious about negotiations. “The initiative for talks always comes from the government. Shehbaz Sharif said he would go to the opposition chamber to start talks. So why doesn’t he go?” he asked.

“If politicians were allowed to meet Imran Khan, we would have found a way forward. How can we talk to the government when we cannot even talk to him?” Ghuman said.

The PTI leader alleged the government did not want dialogue because “they don’t have anything in their own hands.” He recalled that during the budget session, PM Shehbaz Sharif came to the opposition benches with an offer. He said Rana Sanaullah later met Asad Qaiser and Junaid Akbar, but the process did not move ahead.

Ghuman also referred to Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s outreach. “Naqvi said he wanted to meet us. We said Bismillah. But Asad Qaiser rightly replied that no party can work against its chairman’s orders. First let us meet Imran Khan, get his permission, then we will meet you,” he stated.

He added that after that, only secret meetings were held with the KP Chief Minister and Barrister Gohar for personal matters.

On KP matters, Ghuman said CM Sohail Afridi was cooperating with the federal government on security because “we have to fight terrorism together.”

He then targeted the Punjab government over wheat procurement and the Green Bus project. “In 2023 we had a bumper crop, yet a crisis was created. They didn’t buy a single grain. Now they are importing wheat again because there is a kickback in it,” he alleged.

“They should also come to the assembly and tell us how much one Green Bus is costing them,” he demanded.

Concluding, Ghuman said Pakistan’s economic problems could not be solved without Imran Khan. “If we want to save the country, get out of debt, and improve the economy, we will have to bring Khan back. The economy is not improving. Someone tell me, is it?” he said.