Islamabad is buzzing with political drama as Pakistan’s Sharif government scrambles to quell rumors of a secret deal with jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar stepped into the fray on Thursday, firmly rejecting any notions of negotiations or leniency for the PTI founder.
Tarar’s statement on X came after conflicting remarks from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s close aides sparked a media frenzy. ‘No deal has been made with Imran, and no concessions are being offered,’ Tarar declared. He labeled reports of government favors as ‘completely false and misleading,’ insisting Khan remains a convicted criminal serving time for corruption.
Khan has been behind bars in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail since August 2023, handed a 14-year sentence in a $190 million corruption case. Additional convictions and pending anti-terrorism trials related to the May 9, 2023 riots keep him locked up.
The denial follows Political Affairs Advisor Rana Sanaullah’s revelation of failed reconciliation attempts. In an Aaj TV interview, Sanaullah said two serious efforts were made post-November 2024 protests, involving Home Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s ex-Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur. ‘Imran refused any deal,’ Sanaullah noted, calling his demands unacceptable to the current administration.
Sanaullah described Khan as stubborn and non-political, mentioning a foreign intermediary’s involvement that initially seemed promising but fell through. Meanwhile, Parliamentary Secretary Barrister Danyal Chaudhry echoed the no-deal stance on Tuesday, per Dawn, stressing readiness for talks but rejecting blackmail. He clarified any potential medical travel for Khan would solely address health concerns, amid PTI alarms over his right eye vision dropping to 15% as per a recent Supreme Court report.
This internal discord highlights the fragile state of Pakistan’s politics, with the PML-N government walking a tightrope between confrontation and dialogue. As speculation swirls, Tarar’s cleanup act underscores the challenges of managing public perception in a polarized landscape.