Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Friday said all meetings with incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan are banned, as he declared the former prime minister an “extremist consumed by war hysteria.”
Speaking with Geo News after the press conference of military spokesman Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, he said Prison Rules allowed meetings in accordance with law. “It is now time to restore the writ of the state. There will be no jail meetings, nor will gatherings be allowed,” he said, warning of “strict” action against anyone who attempts to disrupt law and order outside the prison.
Tarar said jail rules allowed the jail superintendent to be present during any meeting, adding officials had informed the government that the PTI founder’s meetings were used for political discussions and to issue instructions. “Permission will not be given to advance the enemy’s agenda from inside the jail,” he added.
Earlier, Lt. Gen. Chaudhry had declared Khan “mentally unstable” and dubbed his narrative a “national security threat.” While he stopped short of calling for any ban on the PTI, he said he was sharing the Army’s perspective and it was up to the government how it wished to act on the information.
During his Geo News discussion, the information minister reiterated the military spokesman’s criticism of Khan’s attempts to turn the people against the state and its institutions. He also reiterated allegations that Khan and the PTI had sought to derail the IMF’s bailout to Pakistan and targeted military installations during the May 9, 2023 riots.
Tarar claimed the former prime minister had resorted to an anti-state narrative to avoid political irrelevance. He claimed this strategy was frustrating the PTI’s lawmakers and questioned how long even they could continue to support Khan. He also confirmed that the federal government is “seriously” considering imposing Governor’s Rule in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
According to the information minister, the government will now register cases against anyone who propagates narratives against the country. He also claimed that the PTI’s “chance” for reconciliation was now over. “There will be no dialogue with anyone who promotes chaos, terrorism or extremist thinking,” he said, adding the PTI could seek dialogue with the government through Parliament—but only without Khan.
Separately, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political and Public Affairs Rana Sanaullah said there was little chance for any further talks with the PTI as Imran Khan’s latest remarks had worsened tensions. However, he added, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s offer for dialogue had not been withdrawn.