ISLAMABAD: The government is reportedly contemplating relocating PTI leader Imran Khan from Adiala Jail as political tensions continue to escalate, with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Prime Minister’s Coordinator Ikhtiar Wali warning that the confrontation has reached an irreversible stage.
According to sources close to Geo News, authorities suspect that PTI is actively pursuing an agenda aimed at destabilizing the country, with efforts underway to incite unrest under the pretext of protests.During a press briefing, Wali indicated that the government is seriously evaluating proposals to transfer Imran Khan from his current detention facility. “There are discussions about moving the prisoner from Adiala, and the government is giving it serious consideration,” he stated.
Wali also made controversial allegations against KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, claiming he has connections with drug traffickers. He described Afridi’s performance as “not just poor but negative,” and accused his family members of being involved in narcotics trade under his protection.
The remarks came a day after PTI leader Imran Khan’s sisters staged a sit-in near Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, protesting the denial of a meeting with their brother. The protest was dispersed using water cannons, and some protesters responded by throwing stones, leading to several arrests of PTI workers. Meetings with Imran Khan have long been a contentious issue between PTI and the government. The last such meeting occurred last week when his sister Uzma Khan was permitted to meet him. Recently, tensions outside the jail have intensified, with PTI protests including clashes with police and jail officials over access to the former Prime Minister, who has been in custody for over two years.
In recent months, PTI supporters, including Aleema Khan, Noreen Khan Niazi, and Uzma Khan, staged protests outside Adiala Jail, which sometimes resulted in their brief detention. Most recently, KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi staged a 16-hour sit-in outside the facility.
Meanwhile, the government has imposed a complete ban on meetings with Imran Khan, as confirmed by Information Minister Attaullah Tarar. This restriction was announced shortly after ISPR Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry labeled Khan as a “mentally ill person” and a threat to national security.
On the political front, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq expressed optimism about dialogue with the opposition. He stated that both Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and himself have repeatedly shown willingness to engage in talks. However, he noted that the opposition prefers to negotiate only with the Chief of Defence Staff and Army Chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir.
Sadiq lamented that political discourse has deteriorated to a point “where return seems impossible,” criticizing the opposition for using parliamentary forums for anti-military and anti-judiciary rhetoric. He added, “I moved four steps forward for dialogue, but now I have had to retreat 40 steps. If Pakistan is to survive, politics must continue, and so must the nation.”
