Confusion reigns in Islamabad as Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders contradict each other on outreach to jailed PTI supremo Imran Khan. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar took center stage Thursday, debunking ‘deal’ buzz with a resolute social media statement.
Tarar minced no words: ‘Falsehoods about concessions to Imran Khan are misleading propaganda. As a court-convicted offender, he faces full legal consequences.’ Khan’s Adiala Jail stint stems from a 14-year graft sentence over $190 million, layered with state gifts conviction and May 9, 2023 violence trials.
PM advisor Rana Sanaullah’s Aaj TV chat unraveled the thread, confessing dual post-November 2024 mediation pushes via Naqvi and Gandapur. Khan’s ‘unfeasible asks’ and ‘stubbornness’ torpedoed them. A foreign intermediary briefly swayed him, per Sanaullah, before reversal; Khan nixed PTI’s January negotiation bid too.
Barrister Danyal Chaudhry, via Dawn, mirrored the rejection, welcoming talks absent ultimatums. PTI health alerts—15% right-eye vision per Supreme Court—floated medical travel, non-negotiable on health grounds alone.
Tarar’s clarification spotlights coordination woes in Sharif’s circle, amid PTI’s resilience. This saga underscores negotiation hurdles in Pakistan’s charged politics, where missteps amplify divisions and test governance mettle.